


Otter, Boop, and Bug

by untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 18:38:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14290956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl/pseuds/untiltheyfindtheperfectgirl
Summary: Richie and Eddie welcome an unexpected surprise into their lives.Set in 1998. Mpreg.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm actually not usually a fan of mpreg but I had this idea and needed to write it. 
> 
> I'm not really sure where this is going, but I'm having a lot of fun with it as I try to get past my writer's block with Stranger Twins 2. Hope you like it!
> 
> Also, I love comments, so.....

“Rich?” 

“Hm?” 

“Rich,” Eddie repeated, picking at his cuticles as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

“Yes, baby?” Richie asked distractedly, eyes still glued to the television in front of him as he bounced between two boxes in Crash Bandicoot.

“I-I-” Eddie choked as his throat constricted. 

“Baby?” Richie asked worriedly, dropping his remote and twisting to look back at Eddie who was standing behind the couch.

Eddie flinched at Richie’s use of the pet name, hands fluttering near his chest in a panic.

“Eddie,” Richie breathed as he took in his panicking boyfriend before climbing over the back of the couch and pulling Eddie into his arms. “Love bug, hey, relax,” Richie cooed, heart rate picking up as his mind raced for an explanation of Eddie's behaviour.

“R-r-ri-” Eddie choked again, tears gathering in his eyes. 

“Shh,” Richie hushed, grabbing the back of Eddie’s thighs and hoisting him up into his arm. “Shh,” he continued, pressing kisses to the top of Eddie’s head as he walked them around the living room to settle into Eddie’s favourite armchair. 

Eddie continued to cry, sobs wracking his body as Richie petted worriedly at his hair. 

“Baby-“

“Don’t,” Eddie sobbed, pressing his wet cheek tighter against Richie’s neck.

“Eds, love,” Richie whispered, eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“R-R-Rich,” Eddie hiccupped, continuing to hide his face in Richie’s neck. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. R-Rich, you have to believe me I-” 

“Hey, hey. Stop, baby, stop,” Richie interrupted with concern sending Eddie into another bout of wails.

Richie clenched his jaw worriedly, holding his tongue until Eddie calmed down and instead rubbing soothing circles into his back.

Eddie pulled back from Richie, remaining in his boyfriend’s lap once he’d cried out all of his tears. 

“Sorry,” Eddie whispered, wiping his running nose with the sleeve of his shirt. 

“It’s okay, bug. Don’t apologize,” Richie murmured, wiping at the remaining tears on his cheeks. “You gonna tell me what’s wrong?” 

Eddie swallowed, picking at his cuticles nervously, causing Richie to tut before grabbing Eddie’s hands to stop the nervous habit.

“Rich, I,” Eddie swallowed again. “I-I, fuck!”

“Hey, shh,” Richie soothed, cupping one of Eddie’s cheeks comfortingly. “Calm down. It’s okay.”

Eddie nodded, sucking his lips into his mouth nervously before blowing out a gust of air. 

“Rich,” Eddie started, staring at Richie’s chest, unable to make eye contact. “I… Why is this so difficult?!" 

“Take your time,” Richie whispered, rubbing a circle into the back of Eddie’s hand with his free hand.

“Fuck it,” Eddie huffed. “I’m p-pregnant, Rich,” Eddie stuttered, covering his face with both hands and hiding against Richie’s chest, not wanting to see Richie’s reaction. 

Eddie's entire body tensed, preparing for Richie’s reaction and becoming increasingly panicked when Richie remained completely silent.

“Otter,” Eddie whispered, voice hoarse. “Please say something.”

“I’m gonna be a dad?” Richie asked in the softest little voice Eddie had ever heard him use. 

“What?” Eddie sniffed, sitting up again.

“I’m gonna be a dad?” Richie repeated, silent tears running down both of his cheeks. “I mean, it is mine, right?”

“Richie!” Eddie groaned, shoving at Richie’s chest and laughing weakly. “You’re not mad?”

“Spaghetti!” Richie huffed out laughter. “Mad? I’m gonna be a dad! We’re gonna be dads!” 

Eddie bit down on his bottom lip, chin falling to his chest as he let out giggles and happy tears.

“C’mere, you,” Richie laughed, pulling Eddie to sit back against his chest, snaking his hand up the front of Eddie’s shirt to rub at his lower abdomen. “Mm, my little baby and my other little baby,” Richie cooed, pressing kisses to Eddie’s cheeks, making him giggle.

* * *

 

Later that night the two lay in bed with Eddie’s back pressed to Richie’s chest as Richie stroked his stomach, the two whispered gently to one another in the dim room. Richie was buzzing with excited energy while Eddie felt a little lighter than he had the last couple of days. 

“When do you wanna tell everyone?”

“Hmm, I dunno. When do you think?” Eddie hummed, rolling to his other side and snuggling into Richie’s front.

“Eds!” Richie squawked, pulling back from Eddie’s torso. “You’re gonna squish our little parasite!”

“Stop calling it a parasite!” Eddie laughed, smacking Richie’s chest.

“You stop calling him an it!”

“So, it’s boy?” Eddie asked, wriggling towards Richie again making Richie squirm nervously. “Otter, the baby’s okay. We’re not gonna squish ‘em,” Eddie smiled, stroking his thumb along Richie’s cheek bone fondly. 

“You sure?”

“I’m sure, Chee,” Eddie reassured him, stomach churning pleasantly at Richie’s worry and protectiveness over their unborn child. 

“M’kay,” Richie nodded nervously. “Not too tight though. Just in case…” 

“You’re so cute, otter,” Eddie cooed, pressing a kiss to Richie’s lips.

“So,” Richie murmured as the two cuddled back into their pillows. “Should we tell the guys soon?”

“Maybe… maybe we should wait a bit,” Eddie responded, chewing on his bottom lip. “Just in case.” 

“In case, what?”

“Rich,” Eddie groaned.

“Everything’s gonna be fine,” Richie sighed, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s forehead and running his fingers through his ruffled hair. “I’m gonna keep you and our little parasite safe, don’t you worry.”

“It’s just, do you even know the miscarriage rates among pregnant men?” Eddie ranted, fingers fluttering as they typically did when Eddie was anxious. “And don’t even get me started on the complications that most men experience during labour-”

“Shh, bug,” Richie interrupted, rubbing at Eddie’s cheek. “Stop. Please don’t get all in your head about this.”

“It’s not that easy, Rich…”

“I know, baby, I know,” Richie agreed. “But please try. For me?” 

“Okay,” Eddie murmured.

“Good. Leave the worrying to me, you just focus on growing the cutest little parasite in the world!” 

“Call our child a parasite one more time and you’ll be fighting for custody in court, Tozier,” Eddie joked, pinching Richie’s nipple teasingly.

“Ow! Hm, I hope he’s a little spitfire, just like his daddy,” Richie hummed, making Eddie roll his eyes.

“No one will be referring to me as daddy,” Eddie huffed. “Gross.”

“Alright, _daddy_ ,” Richie teased making Eddie smack him again. “He’s definitely gonna be hilarious though! I mean, c’mon! With two chuckalicious dads like us the kids gonna be the greatest comedian to ever walk the face of the earth!”

“I just hope he has your curls,” Eddie hummed, staring off into space dreamily.

“Eds, we both have curly hair…” 

“Yours is nicer though,” Eddie explained, wrapping a dark curl around his index finger thoughtfully.

“Blasphemy!” Richie protested making Eddie laugh. “I hope the poor kid doesn’t get my shit eyesight. God, or my fucked up teeth!”

“Awe, no,” Eddie laughed, pinching Richie’s cheek. “Baby Richie and his buck teeth were so cute!”

“You’re telling me you would have preferred if I didn’t get braces in high school?” 

“Well…no.”

“Exactly,” Richie grinned, showing off his perfectly straight teeth. “Besides, I’d rather not blow thousands of dollars for dental work on the little punk.” 

“Very true,” Eddie hummed before yawning. 

“Ok, sleepy time,” Richie announced, making Eddie groan.

“Just because there’s a baby in there doesn’t mean you gotta treat _me_ like one,” Eddie grumbled, pointing at his stomach. 

“Hey, you’re my practice baby,” Richie joked, rolling Eddie over and pulling him towards his chest to spoon him gently. “You don’t want me fuckin’ up the real thing, now do ya?” 

“Guess not,” Eddie laughed, relaxing back into Richie. 

“Olive juice, bug,” Richie cooed, pressing a kiss to the back of Eddie’s head.

“Elephant s-sh-shoe,” Eddie mumbled through a yawn, finishing the phrase the two had used before bed since their sleepovers as children.

Richie reached back to flick off the light on his bedside table plunging the room into sudden darkness.

“Olive juice you too, my little boop,” Richie whispered, leaning over Eddie to press a kiss to his stomach. “So, so much!” 

Eddie smiled tiredly as Richie settled back into the pillows behind him, chest full of warmth as he thought about Richie talking to their growing baby and giving it ridiculous nicknames like boop and parasite. Eddie tangled his fingers with Richie’s, settling their hands over his stomach and marvelling at Richie’s ability to make Eddie fall even deeper in love with him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying writing this!

“Do we have to go?” Eddie rasped, wiping at his mouth with a few squares of toilet paper before leaning back into Richie who was crouched behind him on their bathroom floor.

“It’s up to you, love,” Richie murmured, smoothing Eddie’s sweaty curls away from his forehead. It was Bill’s twenty-third birthday celebration that night and Eddie had been flip flopping on whether or not to attend for a week now. “He’d understand if we told him you were sick.” 

“I-“ Eddie began to argue before gagging and slumping back over the rim of the toilet to heave up more of his lunch.

“It’s okay, baby,” Richie cooed as Eddie whimpered into the toilet bowl, rubbing circles into Eddie’s back and steadying his hand by the toilet handle, preparing to flush as soon as Eddie was finished. Eddie was incredibly emetophobic, another lasting effect of his upbringing he had to thank his mother for.

Morning sickness was Eddie’s biggest fear when he figured out he was pregnant. He had taken to staying home as much as possible for fear of being sick in public and had been restricting his diet to the point that he was losing weight rather than gaining it, refusing to eat any food that he had consumed before vomiting since the beginning of his pregnancy. Eddie’s nausea had started five weeks into the pregnancy and he had spent the better part of that week hysterically sobbing and rambling on about how this pregnancy was seriously going to kill him. 

Eddie pushed away from the toilet with closed eyes, shaking and sobbing as he gagged slightly. 

“Here,” Richie sighed, flushing the toilet and pulling Eddie to a standing position. “Let’s get those pearls nice and clean.”

Richie propped Eddie up sideways on their bathroom counter, cracking a new bottle of mouthwash before measuring the astringent liquid out into a cup for Eddie. Eddie accepted the cup gratefully, slurping the blue liquid and swishing it around his mouth manically. Richie watched the panicked boy spit the mouthwash into the sink before grabbing his toothbrush from its airtight case (“Do you know how many airborne germs exist in a household bathroom, Richie?”). Richie kissed his forehead, watching the small boys face scrunch as he scrubbed at his teeth methodically.

“Ah, ah,” Richie tutted, grabbing Eddie’s wrist. “Not so hard,” he reminded, making Eddie roll his eyes. Dentists had told him that he brushed his teeth too hard his whole life.

Eddie gave his mouth a final rinse with some tap water before turning to Richie and wrapping his arms around Richie’s neck and snuggling into him, looking for comfort.

“I think we should stay home, bug,” Richie whispered, playing with the sweaty curls at the nape of Eddie’s neck.

“It’s Bill’s birthday, though,” Eddie protested weakly. “We gotta.”

“What-“ Richie cut himself off, not wanting to finish his anxious thought aloud. Bringing up the fact that Eddie could potentially feel sick and end up puking at the restaurant would only set Eddie off into a new bout of panic. 

“Hm?”

“Nothing,” Richie lied. “How about you take a nap and we’ll see how you’re feelin’ in a couple hours?”

“M’kay,” Eddie nodded, yawning into Richie’s neck, making him smile fondly.

“M’kay,” Richie echoed, grabbing the back of Eddie’s thighs and wrapping them around his waist. Richie carefully walked them out of the en suite bathroom, careful not to jostle Eddie and send him into a new round of vomiting.

“Stay with me?” Eddie questioned, hands locking behind Richie’s head as he moved to tuck Eddie into their bed.

“I’ve got some work-“

“Please, otter,” Eddie whimpered, blinking up at Richie with tired doe eyes.

“Okay, just for a bit,” Richie conceded, sliding under the covers next to Eddie, letting his boyfriend settle against his chest.

* * *

Eddie was out cold in a matter of minutes, mind and body exhausted from the last few weeks of his pregnancy. It was slightly unnerving for Richie, considering Eddie was a bit of an insomniac and would toss and turn for nearly an hour before dropping off to sleep most nights.

Richie grunted, carefully shifting Eddie from his chest to the mattress so he could slide out from under him and go work on some work he had been putting off the last few days. Richie had recently been promoted to producer of his own radio show and the workload was much heavier than he expected, especially with Eddie’s demanding pregnancy.

Richie smiled softly down at Eddie who had begun whimpering like a sad puppy at the loss of Richie’s body heat, pressing a kiss first to Eddie’s forehead then his stomach.

* * *

Richie chewed on his thumbnail, glaring at the clock on the kitchen wall, contemplating waking Eddie up. On one hand, he knew Eddie really wanted to go to the dinner and celebrate his best friend’s birthday, but on the other hand Eddie was exhausted and nauseous and ridiculously hormonal.

“What have you done, Tozier?”

“Stan, my man,” Richie laughed into the receiver of their home phone. Stan always knew what to do. “I’m hurt that you think I’ve done something wrong just because I’m calling you!”

“I know you, Richie,” Stan sighed. “You only call me when you’re looking for someone to help you with a stupid idea or when you need help fixing something stupid that you’ve already done." 

“Offensive,” Richie squawked. “I’m actually calling for your advice!”

“About?”

“Eddie." 

“What have you done, Tozier?”

“Hey, have a little faith!” Richie chuckled. “I haven’t done anything. It’s about tonight-”

“You two better not ditch, Richard! We haven’t seen you two idiots in weeks and Bill is so excited to see Eddie!”

“What about me?”

“No one’s excited to see you, Trashmouth,” Stan deadpanned.

“Rude,” Richie sniffed. “Anyway, I’m calling because Eddie’s really… sick right now,” Richie lied. They had decided to wait until the second trimester to announce the pregnancy to their friends.

“Is he okay?” Stan asked, voice full of worry. Eddie _never_ got so much as a cold.

“Yeah, he’s alright,” Richie nodded even though Stan couldn’t see him. “I just… I know he really wants to come tonight but my gut’s telling me that he needs to rest.”

“Well, you know Bill would understand,” Stan reassured. 

“I know-"

“Otter?”

“One second, love,” Richie called over his shoulder. “He’s awake. I gotta go.”

“Okay,” Stan agreed. “Let me know what you decide. And make sure he knows we’ll all understand if you guys can’t make it!”

“I’m not telling him that, Stan!” Richie laughed. “If I told him that I wouldn’t be able to get him to stay in bed even if he was suddenly paralyzed!”

“Okay, well do what you need to do, Rich,” Stan sighed. “You know him best." 

“Cheeeee,” Eddie whined again. 

“Right, you are Stanny,” Richie laughed. “Bye!”

* * *

 

“You left,” Eddie whimpered as Richie settled next to Eddie on their bed. This pregnancy was making Eddie incredibly needy. 

“I’m sorry, bug,” Richie apologized. “I had to do some work. How’re you feeling?” 

“Mm, okay,” Eddie admitted, leaning into Richie’s palm on his cheek.

“Yeah, you’re looking a little better,” Richie hummed. “Less pale.”

Eddie snuggled into his chest in response.

“So, what do you wanna do?” Richie asked, running his fingers through Eddie’s hair. “We have an hour before we gotta leave if we’re going.”

“I wanna go, Rich,” Eddie whispered, looking up at him hopefully as though Richie would ever deny him.

“You sure?” 

“Mhmm,” Eddie nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Okay,” Richie agreed, still a little worried about Eddie freaking out at the dinner.

“I need a shower,” Eddie murmured absently, Richie humming noncommittally in response. “Come with me?" 

“Of course, bug,” Richie breathed, not moving from their comfortable position.

* * *

Richie stepped into the steamy bathroom, shucking his shirt off as he listened to Eddie hum with the steady rhythm of the shower water hitting the porcelain tub. 

“Make way,” Richie joked, pushing the shower curtain aside before stepping into the tub behind Eddie, wrapping his arms around his chest.

“Hmm, hi,” Eddie hummed, leaning his head back against Richie’s chest. 

“Hello, Mr. Boop,” Richie cooed over his shoulder, hands gliding down Eddie’s chest to settle over Eddie’s flat lower stomach. “My, how you’ve grown!” 

“Fuck off, Rich,” Eddie laughed, elbowing Richie in the gut. “I’m not even showing yet.” 

“Nah,” Richie shrugged, leaning over to grab the shampoo and squirt a generous amount into his hand to wash his hair. “I can see the difference. A dad can always tell,” he joked, tapping the side of his nose with his freehand, making Eddie laugh.

* * *

 

“You good?” Richie asked for what felt like the millionth time in the last fifteen minutes. 

“Richie, I swear to God!” Eddie moaned. “Stop asking me if I’m alright! You’re making me more nervous!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Richie apologized putting the car in park and cutting the engine. “You’re right.”

“Of course, I am!” Eddie laughed, unbuckling his seat belt and pushing the car door open.

The two met around the front of the hood before walking towards the entrance of Ruby Tuesday's, Bill’s favourite restaurant despite the rest of the Losers’ attempts to convince him otherwise.

Richie’s fingers pressed at the small of Eddie’s back, steering him through the door. Not only had the pregnancy made Eddie needy, but it had made Richie uncharacteristically protective.

“Table for two?” the hostess asked, smiling from behind her podium in the restaurant lobby. 

“Oh, um-”

“Richie! Eddie!”

The boys looked towards the voice calling their names.

“We’re with them,” Richie laughed, gesturing towards the table of grinning and waving individuals.

“Perfect!” the young girl smiled, nodding for them to join their friends.

“Eddie!” Beverly squealed, pushing out her chair and jumping to pull the boy into a hug. Richie’s fist clenched in the back of Eddie’s shirt in panic. Despite Eddie’s reassurances that hugs wouldn’t hurt the baby, Richie was still quite paranoid. “You made it! How are you feeling, sweetie?” 

Eddie peaked over his shoulder to squint at Richie accusingly for telling their friends he was sick.

“M’fine,” Eddie smiled. “Feelin’ much better.”

“Good!” Beverly grinned, releasing the boy and moving on to Richie, who had just released the back of Eddie’s shirt, while Eddie moved on to hug the other Losers. 

“Already ordered you a Mai Tai,” Beverly informed Eddie once they had all settled into seats around the table. 

“Oh, um,” Eddie looked up at Richie nervously, cheeks tinging pink. “I’m actually not drinking tonight.”

“Ah, one won’t hurt,” Beverly laughed, waving a hand vaguely as she skimmed the menu in front of her. 

“Not tonight, Bev,” Eddie continued, making Beverly look up in surprise.

“Uh,” Beverly frowned. Eddie was never one to turn down a drink. “Okay… well, Rich can have it.”

“Driving,” Richie grinned lopsidedly. Even though he would have been fine having a drink or two during dinner he didn’t want to put his little family at risk. 

“C-c-can’t Eddie drive if he’s not drinking?” Bill asked, sipping at his beer. 

“Don’t feel like it,” Eddie blurted nervously, panicking as he tried to think of an excuse. In all actuality, Richie had stuck to driving lately as the movement of the car had been known to make Eddie nauseous, making driving more difficult than necessary. 

Richie settled his arm over the back of Eddie’s chair, rubbing at one of his shoulders as the group gave the boys suspicious looks.

“What’re you thinkin’, babe?” Richie asked, breaking the tense silence at the table and grabbing Eddie’s menu to prop it between them, neglecting his own flimsy menu.

“I dunno,” Eddie mumbled, sliding down in his seat slightly with flaming cheeks. Eddie skanned the menu, stomach churning as he read the ingredients of each dish. “I usually get the avacado turkey burger, but…” 

Richie nodded understandingly, remembering that avocado had been added to Eddie’s ‘Will Not Eat’ list.

The Losers joined in, naming off entrées that sounded good, only for Eddie to shoot each one down as they listed the ingredients.

“How ‘bout just a plain burger, bug?” Richie asked, stroking one of his cheeks with his index as Eddie stared gloomily at the menu.

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. “Sounds okay,” he agreed, snuggling into Richie’s shoulder slightly.

The Losers watched the couple with interest. Eddie was staunchly against any form of PDA so their current behaviour was throwing everyone for a loop.

* * *

 

Nearly an hour later the Losers were finishing up their meals, each pushing their plates away from them or picking at stray fries left on their plates. Richie and Eddie’s odd behaviour had continued through dinner, Eddie picking at his food disinterestedly while Richie watched and verbally checked on him every few minutes. 

The group ordered another round of drinks as their plates were cleared away, Richie and Eddie opting for a Coke and a water. The group sat chatting happily as they waited for their drinks and the shared desserts they had ordered.

Eddie was curling against Richie once again, quiet and removed from the conversation around him. Placing a hand over his stomach, Richie kissed Eddie’s forehead, affectionately rubbing his hand in circles over Eddie’s non-existent bump as Eddie smiled weakly. 

Ben watched the two with interest as the conversation around them roared on, eyeing Richie’s hand suspiciously. Stan had explained that Eddie was sick and it was entirely plausible that Eddie was just feeling under the weather and Richie was comforting him. Something about their behaviour rubbed Ben the wrong way though, not to mention their near stereo silence over the last month and a half had been alarming. 

“Hey, Eddie,” Ben called quietly, gaining the couple’s attention.

“Hmm?” Eddie hummed, pushing Richie’s hand from his stomach reluctantly and sitting up straighter in his chair. “Yeah, Ben?” 

“Are you…” Ben chewed on his lip, debating on whether or not to finish his question. Male carriers were extremely rare and Eddie had never given any indication to being one during their entire ten-year friendship. Something in Ben’s gut was telling him that something was going on though. “Are you pregnant?” Ben asked, nearly at a whisper. 

The entire table fell silent despite Ben’s quiet tone, making him flush embarrassedly. Richie’s face had slackened and become quite pale while Eddie’s turned a dark crimson. 

“What?” Eddie asked, voice high and hysterical. “No! What? Ben-”

“Sorry, sorry,” Ben apologized hurriedly, embarrassed for bringing it up. “I shouldn’t have- I’m sorry, Eddie!”

Richie gripped his knee, restraining himself from announcing to the whole restaurant that he was going to be a dad.

“Otter,” Eddie croaked, voice gravelly indicating that he was on the verge of tears. Richie squeezed Eddie’s shoulder reassuringly, letting Eddie know that it was his call whether or not the tell their friends right now.

Eddie closed his eyes letting out a shaky breath while six pairs of eyes watched him with concern.

“You’re too damn perceptive, Benny,” Eddie let out a watery laugh, voice cracking at his admission. Richie squeezed his shoulder again while the rest of the table remained deadly silent. “Please say something,” Eddie whined, opening his eyes to look at his friends’ shocked faces. 

Suddenly the table was a burst of joy, people squealing with glee while others cried or congratulated the two, trying to pull them each into a hug. 

“Hey, hey,” Richie called, resisting Stan’s bear hug and reaching for Eddie. “Be careful, guys.”

“Sh-shit, sorry Eddie!”

“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry,” Beverly gasped, as Eddie rolled his eyes.

“It’s fine,” Eddie laughed, reassuring his friends. “ _I_ _’_ _m_ fine. Richie’s being ridiculous.” 

“Hey, no I’m not,” Richie protested, disentangling himself from Stan. “I’m just making sure my two people are safe,” Richie explained, making Eddie smile softly. Richie had referred to Eddie as ‘his person’ rather than his boyfriend since high school and now that Eddie was pregnant Richie had announced that Eddie was carrying his second person. Richie smiled back at him, settling his palm low on Eddie’s stomach. Eddie wasn’t even showing and he was already sure he wouldn’t be comfortable with anyone other than Richie touching his bump.

Ben sighed dreamily, watching the two from the other side of the table, making the other six crack up. 

“What, it’s cute!” Ben protested with a blush.


	3. Chapter 3

“Rich, seriously? What the fuck?” Eddie grumbled, dropping his bag from his shoulder onto a bar stool and his keys to the counter top as he took in Richie eating lime slices like an orange.

“My love,” Richie cried, dropping the peel of the slice of lime he was sucking on, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re home! How was your day? Did you miss me, my dear, sweet-” 

“Knock it off, Rich” Eddie groaned, rubbing at his lower back as he approached the refrigerator.

At Eddie’s two month scan their doctor had gifted Richie with a chart describing the size of the baby each week in the form of a fruit or vegetable. Richie, being Richie, had decided they _just had_ to celebrate their baby’s growth by consuming the appropriate fruit or vegetable each week, following the timeline. Week 11 was a lime.

“We’ve got a grouchy Eddie Spaghetti tonight,” Richie joked, approaching the grumbling boy from behind. “Back still sore?” Richie mumbled against Eddie’s neck, his hands settling on Eddie’s waist as his thumbs dug into the flesh at the small of Eddie’s back.

“Yeah,” Eddie yawned, chin falling to his chest at the feeling, abandoning this search for food.

The end of the first trimester was hitting Eddie like a transport truck. His back and abdominals were constantly aching as his body stretched to accommodate his growing baby and his bladder felt like it was constantly ready to burst. While his nausea was improving his legs had started cramping up at random, keeping him up at night and adding to his overwhelming fatigue. He was painfully constipated and his mood could turn on a dime, usually for the worst much to Richie’s infortune. 

Richie had been trying to convince him to cut back his hours at work, but Eddie vehemently refused despite the fact that he was falling asleep as early as six o’clock in the evening when he got home from work. Eddie had agreed, however, to reduce his workload, focusing more on paperwork and documentation for his projects at the firm where he was a mechanical engineer and leaving more of the quote-un-quote heavy lifting to his team. 

To make matters worse today was a Friday, which was usually a cause for celebration, but today meant they had each gotten off work early to make the five-hour car journey down to Derry to share their news with their parents. 

They had decided to stay with Richie’s parents, the Toziers had always been more supportive of their relationship than Eddie’s mother, and visit with Sonia Kaspbrak for lunch on the Saturday.

“Did you pack the car yet?” Eddie asked, leaning back into Richie who was still rubbing at his back. 

“Mhm.”

“Did you remember to pack my moisturizer?” Eddie’s skin had become incredibly dry over the last three months. 

“Yep.” 

“And my-” 

“Yes, Eds,” Richie interrupted, listing off all the items he knew Eddie would need for the weekend. “We’ve got your moisturizer, your bio-oil for those cute little stretch marks, your Colace, some Gravol, and of course your Tylenol.”

“Thanks,” Eddie smiled embarrassedly, cheeks tinging pink at how well Richie knew him.

“Course, bug,” Richie smiled pressing a kiss to Eddie’s cheek.

* * *

“Ow, ow, ow,” Eddie moaned, bending to massage his calves in the passenger seat.

“Y'okay, Spaghetti?” Richie asked, eyes flicking to Eddie’s hunched form.

“Fuckin’ cramp! Ow, fuckin’ ow!” 

“Thirty more minutes, babe,” Richie promised. “Take some ibuprofen and I promise I’ll give you a massage when we get to my parents’.” 

“I’m holding you to that,” Eddie grumbled, digging through the bag at his feet for the bottle of Tylenol. 

Eddie dry swallowed the pill effortlessly, a talent he had acquired from years of practice thanks to his mother, before slumping back into his chair and twisting to rub at his lower back.

“Fuck this, honestly if it’s this bad now I don’t know how the fuck I’m gonna do it when I’m the size of a whale! Everything is just so-” Eddie stopped his rant as he heard Richie’s breath hitch. “Rich?”

Richie’s jaw was clenched, staring determinedly through the windshield. Eddie followed his gaze, swallowing as their car approached and passed the “Welcome to Derry” sign.

Other than the heavy breathing of both men, the car was completely silent, tension hanging thickly in the air.

“ _It’_ s gone,” Eddie squeaked but it sounded more like a question than a statement.

“Y-Yeah,” Richie choked out, nodding his head and keeping his eyes on the road. 

The rest of the trip was silent, both boys taking in their hometown that they hadn’t visited in nearly five years. It was like they had never left, everything frozen eerily in time.

Eddie held his breath and stared down at his lap as they passed by his mother’s house, fingernails digging painfully into his palms as his chest constricted in a way it hadn’t since high school. 

“It’s okay,” Richie whispered, holding his hand out palm-up for Eddie to take.

* * *

 

Richie let out a heavy sigh as he shifted the car into park in the driveway of his childhood home. Eddie stared up at the house, stomach twisting nervously. The Toziers’ house had been Eddie’s safe haven back when they were kids, but it had been so long that he wasn’t sure if the place still held the same magic for him. 

Both men climbed out of the car, moving towards the trunk to grab their bags.

“I got it, bug,” Richie laughed, shooing Eddie’s hands away from the strap of his overnight bag.  

“I can carry a fuckin’ duffel bag, Rich. I’m not an invalid,” Eddie glared.

“I know,” Richie smiled, slamming the trunk shut before hefting both of their bags over his shoulders. “You’re carrying little Boop for nine months though. Figured I could at least carry your bag for the 30 second walk up the drive way.”

Eddie shook his head, feigning exasperation as his stomach clenched pleasantly at Richie’s words.

“Do we knock?” Eddie asked as they approached the door. 

“I don’t know, it’s still my house… but it does feel kinda weird just walking in,” Richie agreed. 

“Oh, my baby!”

“Guess that solves that issue,” Richie laughed, grinning up at his mother who had just opened the front door to wave the couple in. 

“Oh, sweetie,” Maggie gushed, pressing a kiss to Richie’s cheek. “We’ve missed you. I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Hi mom,” Richie laughed, dropping their bags to the floor and hugging his mother.

“Is that them, Mags?”

“Hey, dad,” Richie called, knowing his father would hear him wherever he was in the house.

“Oh, Eddie sweetie,” Maggie continued, squeezing Eddie to her chest, causing Richie to squawk in panic. 

“Don’t crush him, mom!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Maggie laughed, pulling back to look over Eddie with a smile. “How are you, honey?” 

“I’m good, Maggie,” Eddie nodded, grinning at the woman he considered his mother, eyes welling up. _Damn_ _hormones_ , he thought. 

“You boys hungry?” Maggie asked, looking between the boys excitedly. 

“Yeah, mom,” Richie laughed, knowing she was excited to be able to take care of them for the weekend.

* * *

 

“So, what have you two boys been up to? How’s work?” Maggie asked, as the three Toziers and Eddie, the honorary Tozier, sat around the kitchen table digging in to supper.

“Yeah, good,” Eddie nodded, explaining his latest project at work to the intrigued Wentworth Tozier, all the while thinking _You don’t know_ _but_ _I_ _’_ _m pregnant, I_ _’_ _m pregnant, I_ _’_ _m pregnant, I_ _’_ _m pregnant_. 

“And you, Richie?” Maggie pressed. “How’s the station?”

“Eddie’s pregnant,” Richie blurted before slapping a hand to his mouth with wide eyes.

“Rich!” Eddie whined, smacking his arm lightly. 

“What?” Wentworth asked, face full of surprise as Maggie pressed a hand to her own mouth, mirroring her son with tears in her eyes. 

“I’m gonna be a grandma?” Maggie cried, fanning her teary eyes.

“You sound like Richie,” Eddie joked, referring to Richie’s reaction to Eddie revealing the pregnancy. 

“Oh, my boys are having a little baby,” Maggie continued, pushing back from the table and moving to pull both boys into her arms. “I’m going to have a little grandbaby! Oh, Richie, I thought I’d never get one.”

“Dad?” Richie called, looking over at his father worriedly.

“Congratulations, son,” Wentworth smiled, eyes suspiciously red and glassy.

“Oh, Eddie! How far along are you?” Maggie gushed, reaching out to cover his stomach with both of her hands.

“Mom!” Richie cried. “You can’t just grab people!”

“Oh, sorry sweetie,” Maggie flinched, removing her hands as if she had been burned, worrying she had upset Eddie. All three Toziers were well aware of Eddie’s strict personal space boundaries.

“No, no,” Eddie smiled, grabbing Maggie’s wrists and placing her hands back on his stomach. “It’s okay.” 

Maggie grinned from her spot kneeling on the floor next to him. Her palms laid flat against Eddie’s stomach as a couple of happy tears slid down her cheeks. 

“How far along?” Maggie repeated with a choked whisper.

“Nearly three months,” Eddie whispered back, not wanting to break the spell that seemed to be hanging in the air. Eddie was typically uncomfortable with anyone other than Richie touching him, but something about this moment felt different.

“And how are you feeling?” 

“Alright,” Eddie shrugged noncommittally, not wanting to complain to Richie’s parents about all the difficulties of pregnancy.

“I hope it’s a girl,” Maggie smiled, staring at Eddie’s relatively flat stomach with awe. “I always wished you were a girl, Richard.”

“That’s pretty rude,” Richie laughed.

Eddie took in Maggie’s happy face. As ashamed as he was to say it, he had been hoping for a boy as much as Richie was, but for the first time in three months he was able to picture an adorable little girl dressed in a starched sun dress, walking along happily with her grandmother. Suddenly, Eddie wanted nothing more than to give Maggie that happiness.

“Ok, that’s enough Boop time for you, mom,” Richie announced, waving his mother’s hands away from Eddie’s stomach impatiently. 

Maggie pushed herself to her feet and approached her husband, wiping at her tears happily before taking her seat next to him and grasping his hand tightly.

“It’s daddy’s turn now,” Richie announced, cupping the small pouch that had begun to hang uncomfortably over Eddie’s waistband between his two hands before bending to pepper it with obnoxious kisses. 

“So territorial,” Eddie laughed, shaking his head as he watched his boyfriend fondly.

* * *

“So that went well,” Richie said later that night as he sat with his back against the wall his bed was pushed up against, Eddie’s legs in his lap as he massaged them.

“U-U-Uh huh,” Eddie nodded through a yawn before rubbing at his eyes tiredly. “I’m tired,” Eddie whined, making grabby hands at Richie to signal the end of the leg massage.

Richie raised Eddie’s leg, pressing a kiss to his calf before dropping it down and crawling up the length of the bed. Richie leaned down to blow a loud raspberry against Eddie’s stomach along the way, making Eddie giggle.

“Otter,” he reprimanded weakly, hands on Richie’s shoulders as Richie hovered over him on all fours.

“Boop’s just too cute, Eds,” Richie grinned, blowing another raspberry before pressing a soft kiss near Eddie’s belly button.

“I know,” Eddie smiled. “I want a cuddle though.”

“If you insist,” Richie grumbled jokingly, settling between Eddie and the wall. “How are you feeling about tomorrow?” Richie asked, running his fingers through Eddie’s curls as he thought about seeing Sonia Kaspbrak for the first time in years. 

“M’scared, Rich,” Eddie whispered, pressing his cheek to Richie’s chest.  

“It’ll be okay,” Richie murmured, freehand moving to cup the bottom of Eddie’s bump. 

“Elephant shoe, Rich,” Eddie mumbled against Richie’s chest, sniffling as a couple tears fell from his eyes, soaking into the front of Richie’s t-shirt. 

“Olive juice, love,” Richie answered, pulling Eddie’s body a little tighter against his own.

* * *

 

“I think I’m having an asthma attack,” Eddie huffed, leaning back in the passenger seat of Richie’s car as they made the short drive to Derry’s only restaurant, an old timey diner. The diner was agreed upon as neutral ground. Eddie didn’t think he could handle going to his mother’s house.

“You don’t have asthma, baby,” Richie reminded gently, grabbing Eddie’s thigh as he fixed his eyes on the road ahead of him.

“Fuck off, Richie,” Eddie groaned. “You don’t think I already know that? Fuck!”

“Sorry,” Richie apologized, not wanting to upset Eddie any further. The boy may not have been having an asthma attack but he was well on his way to a panic attack. “Just breath, it’s gonna be okay.”

“I’m trying, asshole!” Eddie huffed, glaring at his infuriating boyfriend. 

“Eddie, I know you’re freaking out,” Richie continued, voice hard and serious. “But don’t take it out on me.” 

Eddie let out a long sigh, holding his chest as he tried to get his breathing under control.

“M’sorry,” Eddie spoke in a small, apologetic voice.

“It’s okay,” Richie let go of Eddie’s thigh, opting to tangle their fingers together. “I understand, Eds.” 

“Thank you,” Eddie whispered, grateful for Richie’s patience with him.

“Anytime, love,” Richie smiled, looking over at Eddie quickly.

* * *

“We’re late,” Eddie muttered, hurrying towards the entrance to the diner, anxiety peaking once again. “She’s gonna be such a bitch about-fuck!”

“Careful,” Richie admonished, grabbing Eddie’s shoulder as the smaller boy straightened up, tripping slightly on the stairs in front of the door. “You’re carrying precious cargo, Eddie Spaghetti,” Richie grinned. 

The familiar sound of a bell tinkling over the door rang out as they entered the diner hand in hand. They turned left, eyes scanning the old fashion booths and settling on the back of a large woman. 

“I can’t,” Eddie’s breath hitched, planting his feet into the ground to stop their movement towards the woman. “I can’t, Rich, I can’t,” he repeated, eyes welling up as he shook his head.

“Eds, baby,” Richie sighed, turning to look down at his shorter boyfriend. “You can. You’re so strong, you _can_ do this.”

“I can’t, Rich,” Eddie protested, voice squeaky and breathing erratic. 

“You can. But,” Richie closed his eyes as he spoke. “If you don’t want to, we don’t have to tell her. If you _seriously_ want to we can get back in the car and drive straight back to New York right now.”

Eddie stared at Richie’s serious face, chewing nervously on his lip as he leaned over to peek around Richie and at his mother’s back.

“No,” Eddie breath. “No, you’re right. I have to do this.”

The two approached the booth warily, Eddie slightly behind Richie as he gripped Richie’s bicep with his freehand. Richie looked down at Eddie, taking in his face before clearing his throat.

“Hello, Sonia,” Richie said softly, deciding not to open with a joke as he usually would.

Sonia looked up at him, a frown on her face as she took him in before her eyes drifted towards Eddie. Eddie was visibly shaking, chest heaving with effort as he clutched onto Richie, nearly hiding behind him.

“Eddie bear.”

“Hi, mommy,” Eddie squeaked, hating how weak and little he sounded. He could feel himself falling, as if he was falling back in time, back to when he was a defenseless child being emotionally abused by an unstable mother.

“Oh, baby,” Sonia cried dramatically, trying to shuffle out of the booth and struggling as her stomach pressed into the table. “Give me a hug, Eddie bear!”

Eddie whimpered, gripping Richie’s arm tighter at the idea of hugging his mother. _I can_ _’_ _t do this, I can_ _’_ _t do this, I can_ _’_ _t do this, I can_ _’_ _t do this,_ his brain chanted.

Richie stepped slightly in front of Eddie, blocking the still struggling Sonia from reaching Eddie. 

“Mr. Tozier,” Sonia chided, glaring at Richie with hatred. “You move out of the way right now,” Sonia demanded, stumbling as she squeezed out of the booth.

“S’ok, Chee,” Eddie whispered, squeezing Richie’s arm again before releasing it and stepping around him, letting his mother pull him into a bone crushing hug.

Richie ground his teeth together, restraining himself from crying out that she was squishing his unborn child with her fat stomach. 

“Eddie, dear,” Sonia cried dramatically. “Oh, I’ve missed you. Are you taking your medicine? You don’t look well sweetie! We can pop by Dr. Handor’s office first thing Monday morning-” 

“We’re leaving Sunday, Sonia,” Richie interrupted, voice hard and uncaring.

“What?” Sonia shrieked as Eddie stood between her arms, eyes closed as he tried to imagine he was somewhere else and not back in Derry being smothered by his crazy mother while she shouted at his boyfriend. _This is high school all over again_ , Eddie thought glumly. “You’re not staying, Eddie bear? I thought you we’re going to be staying! You can’t leave me, Eddie! You can’t leave me _again_!”

“Okay,” Richie sighed, reaching out to grasp Eddie’s shoulder, Sonia’s eyes watching the movement with disgust. “Calm down, let’s just order some food and talk.” 

“Oh, sit with me, Eddie bear,” Sonia begged, moving to push Eddie into the booth before her. Eddie looked to Richie, eyes pleading as he floundered for words. 

“Nah,” Richie shook his head, grabbing Eddie’s hand and pulling him towards himself. “More room on this side,” Richie commented snippily causing Sonia to bristle in offence.

“If that’s a dig at my weight, you disrespectful boy, I’ll have you know I am diabetic and-” Sonia ranted, Richie tuning the woman out as he slid into the booth and pulled Eddie down next to him. 

“You good, bug?” Richie murmured, pulling Eddie into his side only for Eddie to pull away from him and nod, face vacant and removed. _Shit,_ _this was a bad idea_ , Richie thought, grabbing Eddie’s hand under the table.

They all ordered when the waitress approached them, Sonia balking at Richie’s order of a burger and fries before ordering herself a full breakfast along with a side of chicken and waffles, making Richie roll his eyes.

“So,” Richie said once the waitress had walked away. “There’s a reason Eddie and I wanted to meet with you.”

“Please tell me you’re moving back, Eddie bear,” Sonia gasped, leaning towards Eddie to grab his hand, resting on top of the table.

“No,” Eddie whispered, shaking his head with his eyes trained on the table. “Sorry, mommy.”

“Then what’s going on?” Sonia moaned. “Are you sick Eddie? I knew I shouldn’t have let you go off to that school! This is all my fault, I-”

“I’m pregnant,” Eddie’s voice was barely a whisper but Sonia fell silent immediately. Richie looked between the two, squeezing Eddie’s hand in his lap. 

“What?” Sonia wailed, eyes wildly looking between the two boys. “No!” 

“Yes,” Richie countered, face stony and challenging. 

“You!” Sonia cried, pointing a stubby finger at Richie. By now the entire diner was watching the rowdy group. “You filthy, disgusting, dirty boy! You did this to him!”

Richie sneered while Eddie glanced nervously at the faces watching them, cheeks tinging with embarrassment. 

“You’ve pressured my baby-”

“Fuck you, I didn’t pressure him into anything!” 

“And now he’s at risk! He’s too fragile for this, he can’t handle it!” 

“You’re insane,” Richie laughed without humour.

“We need to get it taken care of immediately! You can’t do this Eddie. Your little body just can’t handle it! I’ll call the clinic-”

“I’m gonna be sick,” Eddie moaned while Richie exploded with anger.

“You crazy fucking bitch, you’re not coming anywhere near Eddie or our baby!”

“He’s _my_ son-”

“He’s a grown man, Sonia!” 

“He needs me-” 

“No, he doesn’t!” 

“Chee,” Eddie whimpered, drawing his boyfriend’s and his mother’s eyes towards him where a couple of waitresses were trying to help him towards the bathroom.

“Shit, Eds,” Richie swore while Sonia squawked and flailed, trying to wriggle out of the booth.

“I got him, I got him,” Richie told the two teenage girls, scooping Eddie up and taking him to the bathroom to clean up. 

* * *

 

“I wanna go home,” Eddie whimpered as Richie wiped his face with a paper towel after rinsing out his mouth with some tap water. They could hear Sonia shouting and banging on the locked bathroom door. “Please, I wanna go home. Chee, I wanna leave, I wanna go home!”

“Shh, shh,” Richie soothed, hugging Eddie to his chest, running his hand through Eddie’s hair as the smaller boy began to sob.

“I wanna go _home_ ,” Eddie continued to whimper as Richie held him, holding back his own tears. 

“Let’s go back to my parents’ house and we’ll figure it out from there,” Richie offered. 

Eddie nodded but continued to cry that he wanted to go back to their apartment where he felt safe and happy.

“Okay, let’s go,” Richie murmured, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s hair and helping him to his feet. 

“Rich,” Eddie whispered, stopping Richie from opening the bathroom door as they listened to Sonia’s shouts. “I can’t.”

“Shh, listen to me,” Richie spoke, rubbing Eddie’s cheek with one of his thumbs, the other hand clutching Eddie’s tightly. “I’ll deal with her. You don’t have to talk to her. Let’s just get out of here as quick as possible.”

“M’kay,” Eddie nodded, still eyeing the door nervously.

Richie pushed the door open before shoving harshly past Sonia.

“I said get back here!” Sonia screamed as the boys stalked past her, Eddie whimpering as he fought the urge to listen to his mother. 

“Let’s go, come on,” Richie continued, speaking in a low voice to Eddie. 

“Eddie bear! Come back, come back right now-”

Both boys breathed a deep sigh of relief as they stepped out into the cool November air.

* * *

 

The couple left Derry the following morning, Eddie conceding to Maggie’s suggestion that they leave in the morning so Richie didn’t have to drive at night.

The Toziers stood at the bottom of the driveway next to Richie’s car, watching as Richie slammed the trunk closed.

“I’m sorry things didn’t go better with your mother, Eddie,” Maggie told him, holding one of his cheeks kindly. 

“S’okay,” Eddie mumbled embarrassedly. After leaving the diner Sonia had driven to the Toziers’ house, harassing them until Maggie threatened to call the police on her. 

“It’s not,” Maggie frowned. “You deserve so much better Eddie.”

Eddie shrugged, unsure of how to respond.

“Ready, babe?” Richie asked, slapping his hands together to wipe off the dirt on his hands from shutting the trunk door. 

“Mhm,” Eddie hummed, hugging Maggie one last time and letting her pet his stomach for a few seconds before moving on to briefly hug Wentworth, a new development in their relationship. 

“And you call me when you get home, you understand Richard,” Eddie heard Maggie lecturing Richie as he pulled away from Wentworth.

“Yes, yes, I will mom,” Richie laughed before hugging his dad and climbing into the driver’s seat of his car, his mother continuing to lecture him through the car window as he buckled his seat belt and started the engine.

“Okay, keep me update, boys,” Maggie smiled. “And don’t forget we’ll be up for Christmas!” 

“Bye mom,” Richie laughed. “Love you.” 

Eddie waved at the Toziers as they reversed out into the street.

“Ready to blow this popsicle stand, Eddie Spaghetti?” Richie asked with a smile, putting the car into drive.

“Let’s go home, Rich,” Eddie nodded, smiling back at his boyfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short little fluffy-fluff....

“RICHIE!”

“One second,” Richie called over his shoulder from the kitchen where he’s busy making himself a sandwich. 

“RICHIE!” Eddie screeched again making Richie sigh and drop his knife, turning to trudge towards their bedroom.

Ever since their visit to Derry Eddie had been extra clingy and moody, demanding to be held and then pushing Richie away, complaining about the way he smelled or the scratchy material of the shirt he was wearing. He had also been extremely demanding, requesting Richie’s utmost attention at all times. Richie understood a lot of it was the hormones raging through his body and the discomfort he was feeling as a result of the pregnancy, but he also knew deep down Eddie still wasn’t over his mother’s reaction to the pregnancy. Even Richie wasn’t over it, furious that Sonia even suggested terminating Eddie’s pregnancy.

“Yeah, Eds?” Richie asked, leaning on the door handle as he opened the bedroom door, taking in a tearful Eddie. “Eds, baby, why are you crying?” 

“I felt him, Otter,” Eddie choked, smiling at Richie through his tears.

“What?”

“I felt him, _I felt him move_ ,” Eddie repeated, letting out a watery laugh as Richie crossed the room, kneeling on the bed in front of Eddie. 

Richie reached out, caressing Eddie’s more prominent belly, face hopeful and excited.

“Here,” he murmured, grabbing Richie’s hand and pressing Richie’s fingertips into the side of his stomach where he had felt the movement. Richie sat in anticipatory silence, staring intently at Eddie’s hand pressing his own into his belly. “He was just moving a second ago,” Eddie muttered disappointedly, shifting their hands around in search of the movement.

“Shit,” Richie muttered sadly, face falling. “I can’t believe I missed it.”

“Oh, oh,” Eddie exclaimed, pushing Richie’s fingers across his stomach like they were using a Ouija board in some messed up version of a séance. “There we go,” he nodded, pressing down on Richie’s fingers and smiling up at him.

“I don’t feel it,” Richie whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

“You can’t feel that?” Eddie questioned, face scrunched in confusion as he moved Richie’s hand and pressed his own into his stomach. “Fuck, I can feel it inside but not outside.”

“Oh,” Richie choked, trying to swallow the lump in his throat and swiping at his cheeks as his tears began to fall. 

“Rich,” Eddie sighed, staring up at his pink faced, crying boyfriend with guilt and sadness. “I’m sorry, I thought you’d be able to feel too. I’m so sorry, Otter.”

“No,” Richie sniffed. “I’m being ridiculous, you’re only sixteen weeks. It’s way too early to feel anything.” 

“But I got your hopes up,” Eddie continued, shifting onto his knees to mirror Richie and reaching out to grab both of his cheeks, wiping the still falling tears with his thumbs. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“S’okay,” Richie whispered, leaning down to press their foreheads together.

“It’s not,” Eddie shook his head slightly. “And the way I’ve been treating you… It’s not okay either. I’m sorry, Otter, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s happening to me. Lately you’ll do something I would usually find funny or ridiculous and it just makes me want to explode or smack you.”

“You think I’m funny?” Richie jokes making Eddie tut and hit his stomach lightly.

“And when I push you away… that’s not fair. It’s like,” Eddie’s hands shifted to grab at Richie’s biceps as he looked for the words to describe how he was feeling. “I just, want you with me all the time. I want to be surrounded by you, like just completely smothered. That’s why I’m always wanting you to hug me and spoon me… but then you get there and I just feel achy and hot and so, so fuckin’ itchy, Rich. I just want everything to be away from my skin and it’s so fuckin’ infuriating and I don’t want to hurt you, I swear-”

Richie interrupts Eddie’s rant with a soft kiss. 

“I get it,” Richie whispers as their lips separate. “Thank you for explaining. I know you don’t actually hate me, otherwise you’d have officially been a single father as of four months ago.”

“Not funny,” Eddie laughs weakly, hitting Richie’s chest. “You would stay with me even if I was a raging asshole to you twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year as long as I was pregnant, Rich.”

“You’re not wrong,” Richie agreed with a smile, kissing Eddie again.

 “You’re so good, Otter,” Eddie mumbled against his lips, arms wrapping around Richie’s neck. “You’re such a _good_ man. I don't say it enough, but thank you. I love you.” 

“Love you too, Bug,” Richie answered, a couple of residual tears escaping his eyes.

* * *

A month had passed since their false alarm and Richie was growing incredibly impatient, craving the opportunity to feel the movement of his baby. Richie had taken to singing nursery rhymes to Eddie’s stomach before bed, adorably off-key, hand pressing into Eddie’s swollen tummy  _just in case_ the baby hears him and starts to move. For Eddie’s part, he had been trying his best to treat Richie a bit nicer. He no longer baited Richie into bed only to push him away and put extra effort into not snapping at Richie when he did something especially annoying.

It was December 22nd, the night before Maggie and Wentworth were due to arrive in Manhattan. Richie and Eddie had spent the day grocery shopping for the coming week with Richie’s parents and Eddie’s back was feeling especially sore tonight. 

“Santa Claus is comin’ to town,” Richie hummed, cheek cushioned on Eddie’s chest and lips ghosting over his swollen stomach as he rubbed his hands across it. “He’s makin’ a list, he’s checkin’ it twice- oh!” 

“Oof,” Eddie winced at the same time, holding his stomach.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Richie was flailing up on his knees straddling Eddie’s legs as he rubbed his palms across Eddie’s stomach excitedly. “C’mon baby, c’mon. Again, for daddy!” 

“Over here, Rich,” Eddie smiled, grabbing one of his wrists and pressing his hand to the spot where he could now feel the baby shifting around. 

“He’s moving, he’s moving!” Richie shrieked, eyes flickering between Eddie and his stomach as a wide grin split his face in two. “He’s really in there!” 

“Did you not believe me, Rich?” Eddie laughs, shaking his head as he watched Richie stare intently at his stomach.

“He’s really in there, Eds,” Richie whispers softly, shifting to lean closer over Eddie and press kisses to his stomach. “Our baby’s in there.”

Eddie smiles, knotting his fingers in Richie’s curls when the boy presses one of his cheeks against Eddie, hot tears hitting his skin and gliding down the curve of his bump.

“Yeah, our baby’s really in there, Otter,” Eddie choked out, trying to hold his own tears back at Richie’s blatant happiness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayoooooo... is anyone still out there and interested in this? lol

“Eds... Eds... Eddie!” Richie shouted, entering the bathroom. “Baby, what’s-” Richie paused, taking in Eddie’s tear streaked cheeks and naked body as the man in question stared glumly into the full length mirror in their bathroom.

“Chee,” Eddie whimpered, face crumbling sadly.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Richie cooed, crossing the room and pulling Eddie against him. “What’s wrong?” 

“Everything,” Eddie cried, clinging to Richie with his face pressed to his boyfriend’s neck.

“Bug,” Richie sighed, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s temple. “C’mon, what’s going on? Why are you upset?”

“Look at me!” Eddie whined, pushing Richie away from him as a sudden flare of frustration ran through him. “Look at what’s happening to me!”

Richie’s eyes scanned Eddie’s body appreciatively. Now that Eddie was five months into the pregnancy his bump had become more prominent, bulging over the edge of his waistband but still small enough to be covered with looser clothing. Eddie’s stomach seemed to have grown more in the last few weeks than it had for over the past four months though, and the accelerated growth was wreaking havoc on his skin. His stomach and chest were now littered with squiggly brown stretch marks as his skin was pulled taught around the baby’s growth and the added weight he was putting on now that his morning sickness had mostly subsided. Eddie’s chest had also started changing due to his pregnancy, his previously flat pecks swelling and growing heavy thanks to the hormones raging through his system.  

“What do you mean, Eds?” Richie asked gently, reaching out a wary hand towards Eddie.

“Don’t play stupid, Richie!” Eddie snapped. “I’m getting fat and I have these ugly stretch marks and-and I have fuckin’ _tits_!”

“Bug-”

“I’m a freak!” Eddie continued to shriek. “I’m disgusting! I’m-”

“Hey!” Richie shouted over Eddie’s cries. “Don’t talk about my partner, the _father_ of my _child_ , that way.” 

“Richie,” Eddie sighed, pulling an annoyed face at his boyfriend.

“I mean it,” Richie ignored him, approaching Eddie and cupping his face between his hands. 

“That’s so cheesy,” Eddie laughed softly, trying to shake his head despite it being trapped between Richie’s palms.

“Just call me the Big Cheese,” Richie joked, lips curling into a grin as Eddie laughed despite himself and smacked Richie’s chest lightly.

“Lemme go,” Eddie mumbled, pushing on Richie’s wrists before taking a step forward and pushing his face into Richie’s chest with a sigh. “M’sorry for freakin’ out,” Eddie apologized, words muffled in the soft cotton of Richie’s shirt.

“S’okay,” Richie hummed, cradling the back of Eddie’s neck with one hand and rubbing the other up and down the length of Eddie’s spine. 

“I just,” Eddie sighed. “Every day I wake up and I feel like I’m in someone else’s body and it’s freaking me the fuck out…” 

“I can’t even imagine, baby,” Richie admitted, shifting to press a kiss to the top of Eddie’s head.

* * *

 

Eddie groaned as he settled into the couch across from the television, swinging his legs up onto the seat next to him. His doctor advised him to keep his legs elevated as much as possible to help with the considerable swelling he was experiencing in his feet.

“I’m going to pick up my parents,” Richie called from the kitchen, collecting his keys and wallet from the countertop before entering the living room. “Need anything before I leave, love?” Richie asked, sitting down on the back of the couch and twisting towards Eddie. 

“M’good,” Eddie yawned, rubbing his cheek sleepily against the couch cushion where he rested his head.

“Y’sure?” Richie pressed, not entirely convinced. 

“Mm hmm,” Eddie nodded, eyes hooded. “M’gonna watch a movie. Maybe take a-ah na-nap,” Eddie stuttered through another yawn. 

“L’emme get you a blanket,” Richie insisted, already moving to collect the fuzzy throw blanket that Eddie left on the armchair where he liked to read. 

“Rich,” Eddie sighed, throwing an arm over the back of the couch and twisting to try and follow Richie’s movements with his eyes. “Stop, I’m fine…”

Although Richie had been working on giving Eddie freedom and trying not to smother him too much over the last few months, they both had taken the last week off of work and Richie had become accustom to keeping an almost constant watchful eye on Eddie in the last few days. When Eddie had shared that he wasn’t feeling up to the forty-minute car ride to the airport to pick up Richie’s parents who were flying in for the holidays Richie had gone into panic mode.

How could be possibly be expected to leave Eddie for what would be, at the very least. a two-hour trip? 

It had taken the better part of the morning to convince Richie that he would be fine on his own, but it seemed Richie still felt uneasy about it.

Eddie sighed as he listened to Richie rummage through their apartment, collecting what he deemed were necessities for Eddie while Richie was away, falling back into the couch cushions as he stared up at the ceiling.

* * *

 

“Alright,” Richie sighed, re-entering the living room with an armful of supplies. Dumping them onto the armchair across from Eddie, he began to sort through them. 

“Blanket,” he announced, lifting the faux-fur throw and shaking it out before settling it over Eddie and tucking it around his boyfriend’s legs sweetly.

“Thanks, Otter,” Eddie cooed, watching Richie brow furrow in concentration as he tucked Eddie in.

“Alright, next,” Richie turned back to the armchair. “Book, magazine, _GameBoy_ , TV remote, phone, water, crackers, chocolate…” 

Eddie watched Richie lay the items out on the coffee table so they were within reaching distance for Eddie.

“Anything else you can think of?” Richie asked, turning back to Eddie with an expectant look.

“This is perfect, Rich,” Eddie promised, grabbing Richie’s bicep and pulling him down so he was hunched over Eddie who remained stretched across their couch. “Thank you,” he whispered before pressing a soft kiss to Richie’s lips. 

“Are you sure?” Richie asked worriedly. “Because if you think you might get hungry for real food I could make you something before I leave-”

“Richie!” Eddie groaned, his patience wearing thin. “I’ll be fine! Now get your ass in the car! Your parents land in less than an hour!”

“Okay, well I’ll have my cell with me,” Richie promised, standing and moving to grab his winter coat. “And Bev and Stan said they’d both be home all day if you need anything, so just give one of them a call. And-”

“Richie!”

“Alright, sorry,” Richie sighed, pulling on his boots and standing hesitantly in the doorway of their apartment. “I love you,” Richie told his boyfriend, fidgeting with the zipper on his coat.

“Love you too,” Eddie called, reaching for the TV remote to flick through the channels. 

Listening as Richie fiddled with his keys on the other side of their door before hearing the lock slide into place, Eddie smiled.

* * *

Two and a half hours later Eddie found himself stirring at the sound of keys in their door, smiling as he heard the familiar click of the lock sliding out of place. 

Snuggling groggily into the couch cushions further Eddie smiled as he listened to Richie urge his parents to keep their voices down, sure Eddie was asleep. His eyes fluttered open drowsily as he sensed Richie peek his head over the back of the couch to check on him.

“Chee,” Eddie whined softly, stretching his sore back with a wince. 

“Hey, baby,” Richie smiled, leaning down towards Eddie to press a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s temple. “Good nap?” 

“Mm,” Eddie nodded, reaching his arms out as Richie straightened up and making grabby hands for his boyfriend. “Cuddle me,” Eddie mumbled, eyes still drooping sleepily.

Richie smiled, making his way around to the front of the couch before seating himself at the far end of the couch and waiting for Eddie to crawl into his lap. 

Never one to disappoint, Eddie creeped across the couch towards Richie, dragging his warm blanket behind him before settling sideways in Richie’s lap with his cheek resting against Richie’s chest.

Richie smiled, pressing another kiss to Eddie’s temple as he gathered the blanket and settled it around Eddie more comfortably. Pressing a kiss to Richie’s chest, Eddie’s eyes drooped heavily. 

“Hi sweetheart,” Maggie cooed, having removed her outdoor clothing and begun settling on the couch next to Richie while Went took the vacant armchair. “How are you doing?” she smiled, reaching out to rub one of Eddie’s shoulders comfortingly. 

“Hi Maggie,” Eddie smiled, yawning slightly. “Good... Tired.” 

“I bet,” Maggie laughed knowingly, stroking the hair at the nape of Eddie’s neck comfortingly. 

“Were you okay?” Richie asked, voicing the question he had wanted to ask since he first walked in the door. 

“Mm, fine,” Eddie nodded, yawning again. “Watched _Home Alone_ … Well, twenty minutes of _Home Alone_ and then I fell asleep…”

“Hungry?” Richie asked, rubbing circles into Eddie’s hip with one of his thumbs.

“Starving,” Eddie admitted, his stomach rumbling as though it could hear their conversation, making all three Toziers laugh.

* * *

“Oh, wow,” Maggie gasped, admiring the giant tree in Rockefeller Square with awe.

It was the Toziers’ first Christmas in New York as they all typically spent the holidays with Richie’s grandmother in Pennsylvania.Unfortunately the batty old woman had passed the previous Spring, affording the family the opportunity to spend the holidays in the city and Maggie had insisted in taking in every Christmas themed tourist attraction New York had to offer. 

Richie had protested initially, claiming that it would be too much walking for Eddie with his excessive swelling. Richie protests had, of course, spurred Eddie to insist he could spend the day trampling through the snow with the thousands of other New Yorkers. 

“Yeah, it’s awesome, huh,” Richie agreed, smiling up at the tree with his arm thrown around Eddie’s shoulders. “We came with Bev and Ben to watch the lighting in November,” he explained, watching out of the corner of his eye as Eddie winced and attempted to subtly rub at his lower back. The stubborn bastard was clearly in a lot of pain from their hours of wandering the city.

“I’m starving,” Richie announced abruptly, turning his head to look for a nearby restaurant where they could order a bite to eat, indirectly forcing Eddie to sit and rest for a while.

“We just had lunch, Rich,” Eddie pointed out, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend.

“I got a string bean metabolism,” Richie grinned cheekily before pecking Eddie’s cold and rosy cheek. “You know that!”

* * *

“Ankles, please” Richie instructed, patting his knees to signal Eddie to place his feet in Richie’s lap so he could massage Eddie’s sore legs.

“We’re in a restaurant, Richie,” Eddie protested, shaking his head adamantly. 

“So?” Richie shrugged, deciding to bend down and pull Eddie’s legs into his lap on his own. 

“Richie!” Eddie hissed. Richie knew his cheeks would have been burning if they weren’t already red from the cold weather they had just escaped. “Oh, my God,” he moaned, covering his cheeks as their waiter approached and Richie held Eddie’s ankles tightly to keep him from withdrawing them.

“Afternoon,” the waiter greeted, eyes sweeping over the table’s occupants and lingering briefly on Richie who had begun massaging Eddie’s ankles softly. “Can I start you off with some drinks?”

* * *

“I’m stuffed,” Richie moaned, slumping back in his chair after finishing his meal.

Maggie and Wentworth murmured in agreement, finishing up their own entrees as Eddie looked up from his empty plate.

“Want the rest of my fries, bug?” Richie laughed, watching as Eddie eyed the stray fries that remained on Richie’s plate. 

“Please,” Eddie squeaked, nodding as he blushed with embarrassment.

Richie nudged his plate closer to Eddie, smiling fondly at his boyfriend who immediately inhaled Richie’s remaining food. Richie was beyond pleased that Eddie’s appetite had returned in the last few weeks.

“So,” Richie sighed contentedly, moving to rub Eddie’s ankles that remained in his lap still. “Where do you wanna go next, mom?”

“Mm,” Maggie took a swallow of her beverage before setting it down again. “Can we pop by the Macy’s on Broadway to see the window displays? I’ve always wanted to see it all done up for Christmas,” Maggie gushed. 

“Sounds good to me,” Eddie nodded, popping the last of Richie’s fries into his mouth.

* * *

 

“Ready?” Richie questioned as he returned to their table from his trip to the bathroom before they left the restaurant, leaning over Eddie to press an absentminded kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Mhmm,” Eddie nodded, closing his eyes with a content smile as Richie’s lips brushed his cheek.

Helping Eddie pull his chair away from the table, Richie watched as Eddie winced and leaned forward to shift some of his weight to the table top.

“Y’ okay?” Richie asked, placing one hand on the small of Eddie’s back and curling the other around Eddie to rest on his stomach.

“M’ fine,” Eddie muttered, gritting his teeth in pain despite himself.

“Eds, are you sure?” Richie insisted as Eddie pulled away from his hold and started for the door, an obvious limp added to his gait.

“I said, I’m fine, Richie!” Eddie groaned, moving away from the table where all three Toziers stood.

“No,” Richie maintained, grabbing one of Eddie’s biceps to stop his boyfriend’s hasty retreat. “You’ve been saying you’re fine all day, but I know you’re not-”

“Leave it, Richie,” Eddie hissed, leveling his boyfriend with a hard stare.

“No,” Richie answered, holding Eddie’s gaze as the two stubbornly stepped forwards in an attempt to intimidate the other into backing down. “We’re going home.” 

“We’re _going_ to Macy’s,” Eddie argued, mouth set in a hard line as his head titled back to look up at Richie. 

“Home,” Richie countered with a shake of his head.

“Eddie, sweetheart,” Maggie interrupted the two warily. “Really, it’s fine. Wentworth and I can go on our own. You two have been great tour guides, but you should go and get some rest.” 

“I’m fine,” Eddie protested insistently.

“Bug,” Richie called softly, attempting a new angle. “Please. Come home with me?” he pleaded, taking one of Eddie’s hands between both of his own to play with his boyfriend’s fingers gently. “If not for me, then for Boop?” he  frowned, settling his free hand on Eddie’s hip and rubbing at the soft swell of Eddie’s abdomen with his extended thumb.

“Fine,” Eddie sighed, mouth twisting grumpily as Richie and Maggie grinned triumphantly and Wentworth chuckled.

* * *

 

“We could have walked,” Eddie repeated as their cab approached their apartment building.

“Alright Eds,” Richie laughed breathily, shaking his head as they pulled up next to the building. “Merry Christmas,” Richie called as he tossed the driver a couple bills from his wallet before climbing out of the backseat of the cab to hold the door open for Eddie.

Eddie winced again as he stepped out of the cab, limping up onto the sidewalk as Richie slammed the cab door shut.

“Here,” Richie muttered, coming up behind Eddie and wrapping an arm under Eddie’s armpits so he could lean some of his weight on his boyfriend as they shuffled into their building and towards the elevator.

“I’m fine, Richie,” Eddie whined despite his continued wincing and laboured breathing despite Richie’s aid. 

“I know you are, baby,” Richie responded in an attempt to placate the moody man.

* * *

 

“Here, baby,” Richie called as he entered the living room with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate, Eddie lounging on the couch as _National Lampoon_ _’_ _s Christmas Vacation_ played on the TV.

“Thanks,” Eddie smiled, accepting the mug carefully before Richie set his own mug on the coffee table and settled down next to Eddie.

“Good?” Richie asked, lifting an arm up and around Eddie’s shoulders to watch as Eddie took a sip of the chocolate-y drink.

“Uh…” Eddie hummed, shrugging noncommittally. 

“Uh?” Richie scoffed. Eddie always loved Richie’s hot chocolate. “Seriously, Eds?”

“Could use some marshmallows,” Eddie shrugged in an attempt to defend himself.

Richie groaned, pushing himself up from the couch to retrieve a bag of marshmallows from the kitchen.

Returning, Richie sprinkled a few of the mini marshmallows into Eddie’s mug before waiting expectantly for Eddie’s approval. 

“Mmm,” Eddie nodded as he sipped at his drink. “Perfect… Could use some cookies to go with it though…” Eddie commented with a hopeful grin.

Richie sighed, slumping forward onto the back of the couch so he was eye level with Eddie.

“Anything else, your highness?” Richie teased. 

“Uh uh,” Eddie responded with a shake of his head and a small grin.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Richie muttered before pecking Eddie’s lips and heading for the kitchen to return the marshmallows and grab the tin of Christmas cookies Mike had brought them a few days prior.

* * *

 

Richie set the tin down on the coffee table for Eddie to pick through before settling back into the couch cushions, pulling Eddie over to lounge across him.

“Otter?”

“Hmm?” Richie hummed, stroking Eddie’s hair as the smaller man leaned back against him, nibbling on a sugar cookie.

“I love you,” Eddie told him.

“I love you, too,” Richie responded, pecking the back of Eddie’s head. 

“Otter?” 

“Yes?”

“I have to pee,” Eddie admitted softly, making Richie inwardly groan. “Can you help me up?”

Shuffling Eddie off of his lap with a resigned sigh, Richie pushed himself up off the couch before pulling Eddie to his feet and leading him towards the bathroom as he tried to bear most of Eddie’s weight to spare his swollen legs.

* * *

Richie groaned awake, hips shifting as he basked in the pleasant sensation of Eddie’s lips suckling the sensitive skin of his neck. 

“Mm, good morning to you too, bug,” Richie croaked, voice rough with sleep. 

“Merry Christmas, Chee,” Eddie grinned from his spot straddling Richie’s hips, lips detaching from Richie’s neck with a wet smack. Richie grinned back up at him, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s shoulders and pulling him down flush against his chest.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” Richie murmured against Eddie’s lips contentedly. “Mm, ohhhhh, E-Eds,” Richie gasped as a drawn-out moan was ripped from his throat, Eddie’s hips slowly grinding against his growing erection.

Ducking his head, Eddie reattached his mouth to Richie’s neck, sucking at it earnestly.

“What’s gotten in to you, love bug,” Richie breathed, eyes fluttering closed in pleasure. Eddie hadn’t been particularly interested in being intimate with Richie for a while, the hormones and nausea making him too uncomfortable to engage in anything more than heavy petting in the last few months.

“Mm,” Eddie released the skin he had been rolling between his lips. “Well, I was hoping you would,” Eddie responded, grinning down at Richie cheekily. 

Groaning, Richie flipped Eddie onto his back before attacking Eddie’s lips with his own. He had missed this, feeling this connection with his partner. This mutual desire. 

“I love you,” Richie murmured against Eddie’s lips making the other man groan with arousal.

Releasing the curls Eddie had tangled his fingers with, Eddie settled his palms on Richie’s shoulders before pushing back on his boyfriend’s weight so the other man was now lying flat against their mattress.

“Wanna taste you,” Eddie whispered against Richie’s ear, causing a pleasant shiver to run through the other man’s body. 

“Anything you want, baby,” Richie agreed, nodding his head encouragingly. Eddie’s lips twisted into an amused smile as he eyed Richie’s desperate face.

Shimmying down Richie’s body, he smirked as Richie’s obviously tented boxers became level with his face. 

“Someone’s excited,” Eddie teased, reaching out to run his fingertips over the outline of Richie’s cock in his Christmas themed boxers his mother had purchased for him. 

“Baby,” Richie whined, chin pressed to his chest as he watched Eddie with blown pupils. “Please,” he begged, cupping the back of Eddie’s head with one hand as the other fisted the sheets below him.

Eddie hooked his index fingers in the front of Richie’s garish boxers before tugging them down around his thighs, unconsciously licking at his lips as Richie’s red and swollen cock lay against Richie’s thigh invitingly.

“Bug,” Richie moaned wantonly, on the brink of desperation after nearly four months of little to no action, save for his daily session with his right hand in the shower. “Bug, please. Please, baby.”

Taking pity on his desperate boyfriend, Eddie leaned down, pressing a wet kiss to Richie’s scrotum before licking a wet trail up the length of Richie’s cock, flicking his tongue at the corona of the sensitive head.

“E-Eds,” Richie moaned brokenly, fingers curling in Eddie’s short hair as his other hand came up to cup the back of Eddie’s neck. “So good baby, so good,” Richie babbled as Eddie curled his fist around the base of Richie’s dick and began suckling on the head insistently while his other hand cupped Richie’s balls, rolling them between his fingers.

Richie continued to groan as Eddie inched his way down Richie’s length, steadily taking more of his boyfriend into his mouth. Releasing Eddie’s neck, Richie pushed himself up enough to be able to reach his hand down Eddie’s back, rubbing at the round globes of Eddie’s ass. 

“Mm, yeah,” Richie encouraged, squeezing one of Eddie’s cheeks in his hand as he watched Eddie sink lower on his cock. “Mm, fuck yeah,” he swore, throwing his head back as Eddie mouthed at the root of his cock, nuzzling his nose against Richie’s pubic hair and swallowing rhythmically around Richie.

Eddie released Richie’s cock with a gasp, licking at the excess saliva coating his lips as he jerked Richie’s length with one hand before taking Richie back into his mouth. 

Moaning as Eddie began to work his way down Richie once again, Richie pushed one digit between Eddie’s cheeks, rubbing the pad of his finger up and down the length of Eddie’s crack causing the crouched man to groan against Richie.

“Like that baby?” Richie asked, grinning as he stroked his fingers through Eddie’s hair while teasing Eddie’s puckered hole.

“Mm,” Eddie moaned, nodding with his pink saliva coated lips still wrapped around Richie. 

“So pretty,” Richie commented as he brought his finger up to suck into his mouth, coating the length with saliva before bringing it back down to Eddie’s ass to smear against the pucker. “Such a good boy, my baby,” Richie babbled, swirling his finger around Eddie’s flaring hole as Eddie continued to moan and press back against his hand.

“Chee!” Eddie gasped as Richie plunged his finger into Eddie’s hole, Richie’s cock popping out of his mouth obscenely and bumping against Eddie’s saliva soaked chin. “Mm, Chee,” he moaned again, taking Richie’s cock back in hand to tap the heavy mushroom head against the flat of his tongue before wrapping his lips around Richie and sucking relentlessly at the head.

“Ugh, Eds,” Richie groaned, pushing Eddie’s head down so his nose bumped against Richie’s abdomen. “Baby-”

“Merry Christmas!”

“Fuck! Shit! Mom!” Richie swore, jumping in surprise as his mother burst into their room without knocking. “Shit, sorry babe,” Richie swore again as Eddie gagged, Richie’s movement having forcefully shoved his dick suddenly down the other man’s throat. Pulling his hips back hurriedly, Eddie coughed as Richie yanked his finger out of Eddie’s ass, his hand having been trapped in place by the awkward angle. “Mom, what the fuck!” Richie swore as Maggie, unfazed by walking in on the boys in such a compromising position, stalked towards the window to throw their curtains back.

“What?” Maggie asked with a shrug, turning to look at the boys. Eddie now had their duvet pulled up to his chin, cheeks flaming embarrassedly, while Richie pushed himself off of the bed, cupping himself with one hand to maintain some semblance of decency. 

“You can’t just barge in here,” Richie huffed angrily.

“Oh, please,” Maggie laughed. “It’s not like I’ve never walked in on you two before!”

“We were teenagers!” Richie scoffed. “This is our home, you can’t just walk around like you own the place mom!”

“Well,” Maggie sniffed in irritation. “Fine then. I just came to let you know that breakfast is ready,” Maggie told him, eyes flitting to avoid Richie’s as she left the room. 

“Shit,” Richie sighed, falling back onto the bed next to Eddie once their bedroom door was shut. “Baby, I’m sorry.”

“That was so embarrassing,” Eddie breathed, cheeks still burning with humiliation. Although Maggie frequently entered rooms unannounced, leading to numerous awkward situations, they hadn’t been caught with their pants down, so to speak, in at least five years. It was mortifying.

* * *

“I can’t,” Eddie protested, fingers curled in the front of Richie’s old band shirt that he had thrown on over his plaid pyjama bottoms. 

“It’ll be fine,” Richie promised, pressing a kiss to the tip of Eddie’s nose.

“I can’t face her,” Eddie shook his head in defiance, eyes wide and full of fear. “Neither of them. I can’t!”

“Bug, it’s fine,” Richie insisted, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s waist. “It’s not like it’s the first time she’s ever walked in on us.”  

“She’s never walked in on us like _that_ , Richie,” Eddie whined. “Cock in my mouth, you in my ass. That was-”

“Fuckin’ hot,” Richie teased, lips twisted into a mischievous grin as Eddie’s own lips quirked with amusement before falling back into a determined pout.

* * *

 

“-I told you not to,” Richie and Eddie heard Wentworth speaking to Maggie in the kitchen. 

“Well, I didn’t expect-” Maggie cut herself off as Richie entered the kitchen, Eddie trailing behind him with his head ducked in shame and cherry red cheeks.

“Mornin’,” Richie threw out, deciding to act like nothing had happened.

“Morning, Rich,” Wentworth nodded. “Eddie. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Eddie answered in a soft voice.

“Help yourselves,” Maggie nodded towards the buffet of food laid across the kitchen counter.

“Here, sit,” Richie spoke softly to Eddie, pushing him down into a chair at their small kitchen table. “I’ll get it for you. What do you want, love?” Richie asked, leaning down to peck Eddie’s cheek from behind.

“Um,” Eddie peeked over at the counter. “I…” he trailed off as he surveyed the food. He wanted everything. 

“How ‘bout a bit of everything?” Richie offered, watching Eddie’s wide eyes with amusement. Eddie nodded quickly making Richie bark out a laugh. “Our hungry boy,” Richie teased, rubbing one of his palms in circles over Eddie’s bump before turning to fix a plate of food for his boyfriend. 

“Wait, is it…” Maggie trailed off, eyes wide as they flickered between Richie and Eddie.

“Sex's unconfirmed,” Eddie responded with a shake of the head. “Just a hunch…”

“Oh,” Maggie sighed disappointedly, eager to find out the sex of her grandchild. 

“Don’t worry, mom,” Richie spoke as he set down two heaping plates of waffles, bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit. “When we find out, you’ll be the first to know,” he promised causing Maggie to smile with satisfaction.

* * *

“One last gift,” Richie announced as they lounged around the living room swapping gifts as Christmas music played softly in the background. “Bug,” Richie smiled, holding out a small box wrapped in candy cane paper. 

“Rich,” Eddie frowned, accepting the weightless package and holding it in the palm of his hand as Maggie and Went watched interestedly. “We said no gifts,” Eddie reminded him. They had decided not to buy gifts for each other this year, instead using the money to convert their spare room into a nursery.

“Open it,” Richie urged with a shrug and a small smile.

“Asshole,” Eddie muttered under his breath as he opened the package. “Otter…” Eddie gasped, his breath hitching as he stared down at the little box in his hand.

“I saw it and I had to get it,” Richie explained with a smile. 

“What is it?” Maggie asked, leaning closer to get a better look at whatever was in the gift box.

Eddie tilted the box towards Richie’s parents to reveal a small silver locket, the doors carefully propped open to reveal an old picture of the late Frank Kaspbrak in one door, a newborn Eddie carefully cradled in his arms. The adjacent door held a small copy of Eddie’s latest ultrasound.

“We can replace it with a picture of you and Boop once he’s here,” Richie explained as he watched Eddie finger the locket delicately between his fingers.

“And you,” Eddie croaked, voice rough with impending tears. Goddamn pregnancy hormones. 

“Huh?” 

“I want you in it too, idiot,” Eddie explained, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend in amusement. “Put it on me?” Eddie asked, holding the box out towards Richie.

Richie nodded, accepting the box and carefully removing the locket and the delicate chain it hung from. Unclasping the hook holding the chain together, Richie laid the chain around Eddie’s neck before clasping it back together behind Eddie’s neck.

“Thanks,” Eddie muttered, chin pressed to his chest as he tried to look down at the locket which hung a few inches below his Adam’s apple as he stroked the cool metal. “I didn’t get you anything though, Rich. I look like such an asshole now.”

“You’re already giving me the greatest gift I could ever get, bug,” Richie reassured him, pressing a kiss to a frowning Eddie’s cheek. 

“Ew,” Eddie scoffed. “That’s so cheesy,” he complained. 

“But it’s true,” Richie responded with a smile, pulling Eddie over into his lap before peppering his face with kisses until the pouting man began to giggle while Maggie and Went watched from the other side of the room with their own smiles.


	6. Chapter 6

“I wanna go!” 

“ _Eddie_ -”

“ _Richie_ ,” Eddie countered, pouting up at his boyfriend who had managed to corral him into the corner of their kitchen so he was leaning back against their counter tops. “Please?” Eddie whispered, hands locked behind Richie’s neck as he pushed up onto his toes and began pressing feather light kisses along Richie’s jaw.

“Eds, stop,” Richie groaned, tilting his head back and out of Eddie’s reach. “We’re not going.”

“But,” Eddie sighed, dropping his hands from Richie’s neck and crossing his arms over his chest sadly. “I wanna go, we’ve never gone!”

“Bug, you’ve been off work for a week and your ankles are _still_ swollen as fuck,” Richie pointed out, grabbing Eddie under the armpits and hoisting him up onto the counter like a child. “You are not spending _hours_ standing around in Time Square just to watch some fucking ball drop,” Richie told him, leaning to press his forehead against Eddie’s.

“But-” 

“Next year, I _promise_ ,” Richie interrupted in an attempt to cut the conversation short. 

“But-” 

“Bug,” Richie whispered pleadingly. “I need to keep my people safe and healthy, okay? I’m not letting you put either of you at risk because you’re a stubborn little shit.”

“M’ not little,” Eddie muttered with a pout, ducking his head down into the nook between Richie’s neck and shoulder. “Fine,” Eddie conceded quietly making Richie sigh with relief.

“Thank you,” Richie whispered, pressing a hard kiss to the side of Eddie’s head. 

“Boys,” Maggie called from the other side of the kitchen where she had been busy preparing dinner and pretending like she wasn’t eavesdropping on their conversation. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Help me down?” Eddie asked, pulling back from Richie slightly.

Richie grabbed Eddie by the hips, carefully guiding Eddie as he slid off the edge of the counter before heading towards the bathroom ahead of dinner.

“You can’t control him, hon,” Maggie told Richie as he picked at the bowl of grated cheese on the counter by the stove. “So little is in his control right now, you can’t take away the few choices he is able to make just to make yourself feel better.”

“You don’t _seriously_ think it’s a good idea for us to come spend the night outside in the middle of winter,” Richie asked incredulously. 

“No,” Maggie shook her head as she finished ladling sauce into a serving bowl. “I don’t think it’s a good idea but _you_ need to let _him_ come to the realization that he can’t do all the things he used to right now.”

Richie’s eyes fell to the countertop as he considered his mother’s words.

“Maggie, can I help with anything?” Eddie asked as he re-entered the kitchen, startling Richie.

“Oh, sweetie,” Maggie called over her shoulder. “Can you take that over to the table?” she nodded towards a dish as she pulled a pan out of the oven. 

Eddie nodded, moving to grab the dish on the counter only to be intercepted by Richie grabbing him by the hips and pulling him into his chest.

“I love you,” Richie murmured against his ear.

“Rich,” Eddie blushed, eyes flickering towards Maggie who had no doubt heard Richie’s quiet words. Eddie shook his head as he tried to suppress his little grin as Richie bent to press kisses up the side of Eddie’s face. “Let go, I’m helping your mom,” he laughed, half-heartedly batting at Richie’s chest.

“Muah,” Richie finished his trail of kisses with a noisy kiss to Eddie’s lips before releasing the flushed man.

* * *

“Chee?” Eddie called out quietly when he awoke at nearly one in the morning to an empty bed. 

Eddie rolled out of bed, dragging his furry throw blanket that he often slept with given the cold temperatures New York had been experiencing lately. Eddie yawned, rubbing at one eye with his fist as he trudged into their living room where Richie and Wentworth were sat playing cards and each drinking a beer.

“Rich?” Eddie called again, making his way towards Richie on the couch.

“Hi, baby,” Richie smiled, looking up from his hand of cards to find his boyfriend in one of his old shirts which pulled taught across his tummy. “What are you doin’ awake?” Richie asked as he held out his arms for Eddie to crawl into his lap.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Eddie explained with a loud yawn.

“Our little gymnast keepin’ you up?” Richie asked as he pulled Eddie to his chest and pressed a kiss to his slightly greasy forehead. Eddie had been having trouble sleeping lately, unable to find a comfortable position or distracted by what felt like Boop doing constant somersaults on his bladder.

“Mhm,” Eddie nodded, cushioning his cheek on one of Richie’s shoulders. “Can I play?” Eddie asked as he pulled his legs up onto the couch and draped the throw over them to keep himself warm.

“Course,” Went agreed, collecting Richie’s cards and beginning to reshuffle the deck.

“Wha’ are we playin’?” Eddie slurred as Richie snuggled back into the couch so Eddie could curl against him more comfortably. 

“Gin Rummy,” Richie answered. 

“How d'ya play?” he mumbled, wrapping both arms around Richie’s neck to snuggle into his boyfriend further as Wentworth began explaining the game. 

Richie raised a hand towards his father with a smug smile before slowly dropping each of his five fingers in a silent countdown. 

“Wait for it…” Richie whispered amusedly before Eddie let out a soft, wheezy snore. 

Went and Richie laughed together as the boy in Richie’s lap continued to snuffle and snort with residual congestion from the cold he’d had a couple weeks ago.

“I’m gonna take him back to bed,” Richie explained, gathering Eddie up into his arms. “I’ll be right back.”

“No,” Went shook his head, placing the deck of cards neatly on the coffee table. “It’s late. Should probably hit the hay too.”

“Alright,” Richie agreed. “Night, dad,” Richie smiled before turning to carry Eddie back to their bedroom. 

“Goodnight, Rich,” Wentworth answered, moving to turn off all the lights that had been left on in the apartment.

* * *

 

Eddie whimpered, fingers latching onto Richie’s t-shirt as he was placed gently onto their mattress.

“Shh, shh, shh,” Richie soothed, stroking Eddie’s cheek to calm the whimpering man. 

Richie watched with a smile as Eddie’s face fell slack once again, mouth parting to release a quiet snore.  

Richie moved to undress quickly before diving under the covers next to Eddie to escape the cold air of their bedroom’s assault on his bare skin.

Richie wriggled towards Eddie before pulling the other man so his back was pressed to Richie’s chest snuggly.

Eddie grumbled angrily in his sleep before flopping onto his other side and snuggling his face against Richie, cold nose tickling Richie’s neck. Richie let out a soft laugh (even in his sleep Eddie knew exactly what he wanted) before wrapping his arms around Eddie’s shoulders and holding the other man to him.

* * *

 

Richie startled awake as Eddie punched at his pillow in irritation. Richie turned his head, squinting at the alarm clock on his bedside table.

3:00am

“Bug,” Richie croaked, now taking his turn to startle Eddie. “C’mere,” he encouraged, reaching his arms out to Eddie. 

Eddie shuffled towards Richie with a little pout, Richie could almost make out the glistening of frustrated tears in Eddie’s eyes. 

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Eddie mumbled against Richie’s neck once he had himself somewhat comfortably situated on top of Richie who was now leaning back against their headboard. It seemed as though being curled in Richie’s lap was the only way he could fall asleep lately.

“S’ okay,” Richie responded, head titled back on their thankfully padded headboard. “S’ good practice for when the baby comes,” Richie joked but Eddie had already drifted back to sleep.

Richie smiled softly as he pushed himself back down to lay on his back, Eddie laying heavily on his chest.

* * *

 

“You hungry?” Richie yawned, fingers brushing through Eddie’s curls. 

Eddie nodded, his forehead pressed to Richie’s neck as they sat curled in their living room watching an MTV Greatest Music Videos of the Year countdown.

“I can make you boys something,” Maggie said, looking up from the book she had been reading in the armchair across from them. Wentworth was dozing at the end of the couch. 

“No, it’s okay mom,” Richie shook his head tiredly. Eddie had woken up another two times last night to pee and both times had trouble falling back asleep. “We didn’t invite you here to cook for us.” 

“No, I want to,” Maggie insisted, marking her page and setting her book down on the table. “You’re both exhausted. I’ll whip something up.”

“Thanks, mom,” Richie sighed, head falling back onto the couch. 

“What do you want, Eddie?” Maggie asked as she crossed the apartment.

“Dunno,” Eddie shrugged, yawning tiredly.

“There’s some leftover minestrone from Michelangelo’s in the freezer,” Richie reminded him.

“Ooo,” Eddie moaned, looking up at Richie and nodding pleadingly. 

“Can you heat him up some soup?” Richie asked, looking up at his mother who now stood above them behind the couch. 

“Sure, sweetheart,” Maggie smiled, petting back her son’s curls as he smiled gratefully up at her.

“Thanks, mom,” Richie sighed.

* * *

 

“Mags,” Went called as he trudged into the kitchen. “I think you better put that soup on hold.”

“Why?” Maggie asked, flipping a gooey grilled cheese on a skillet.

“See for yourself,” Went laughed, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the counter.

Maggie furrowed her brows, moving to peek out into the living room.

“Oh,” Maggie whispered with a smile, taking in the two boys (‘Men,’ she reminded herself) fast asleep on the couch. Richie was stretched across the couch on his back with Eddie wedged between the back of the couch and Richie, one of Richie’s hand knotted in Eddie’s hair and the other cupping Eddie’s stomach which bulged and rested on Richie’s own stomach. 

“Went,” Maggie sighed as she re-entered the kitchen. “I think we should stay another couple weeks.” 

“Huh?” 

“They need us,” Maggie sighed. “Look at them, they’re exhausted. They need _me_.” 

“Mags,” Went sighed. “They’re fine. We’re not staying.”

“They’re not fine,” Maggie argued, turning off the burner under the skillet. “They have no idea what they’re doing. They’ve never been around babies or pregnancy.”

“Maggie, they’re five months into this,” Wentworth reminded her, accepting the bowl of soup she poured for him.

“Exactly, it’s about to get so much more difficult,” Maggie exclaimed. 

“Maggie,” Went sighed, setting down the bowl and grabbing her arm so she turned to look at him. “They can do this, we’re letting them do this. Richie can handle this,” he insisted, knowing Maggie’s biggest concern was Richie not being able to handle the extra responsibility the pregnancy was putting on him. 

“But-”

“Richie can take care of his family,” Wentworth continued. “Hell, they both can. They’ve been doing it for years. They’ve got this.” 

“You’re right,” Maggie sighed, looking to her feet. “I know you’re right, I’m just scared…”

“What about?” Went asked, pulling her into a hug.

“This is… dangerous for Eddie,” Maggie whispered. “We’re all pretending like it’s not, but we know it is. And what’s Richie gonna do if something... If something…”

“Shh,” Wentworth hummed, not wanting to think about how truly dangerous carrying a child to term was for male carriers. “Richie will take care of him. He’ll be okay. Richie’s always known how to take care of him,” Wentworth insisted in an attempt to comfort his wife as well as himself.

“I know,” Maggie sniffed before sighing heavily.

* * *

 

“Okay, baby,” Richie cooed, cupping Eddie’s cheeks between his hands. “I’ll be back in an hour,” Richie told Eddie, pressing a kiss to Eddie’s lips.

“I know, Rich,” Eddie laughed. “Now go,” he insisted, pushing on Richie’s chest.

“Okay,” Richie sighed, straightening up and turning to look at Stan. “I’m trusting you Stan,” Richie warned. “You keep my babies off their feet and their butts on the couch.” 

“I’m not his babysitter, Richie,” Stan rolled his eyes, sitting across from Eddie in one of their armchairs. 

“Yeah, Richie,” Eddie whined mockingly making Richie turn and growl at him, leaning down to kiss his boyfriend.

“I love you,” Richie whispered against Eddie’s lips making his boyfriend smile.

“Love you too,” Eddie answered.

“Richie!” Maggie called from the front door where her and Wentworth were waiting for Richie to take them across the bridge to show them the way to Times Square for the New Years’ Eve celebration.

“Better go before you’re grounded, Otter,” Eddie whispered with a smile.

“Brat,” Richie teased, before pressing kisses all over Eddie’s faces making him giggle.

“How do you handle that?” Stan laughed once Richie and his parents had left. 

“What?” Eddie asked, eyebrows furrowed and hands clasped over his belly.

“Richie,” Stan explained. “He’s all over you, all of the time worrying and smothering.”

“We’re always like that,” Eddie shrugged.

“No,” Stan shook his head. “I mean, you’re usually all over each other around just us, yeah, but it’s _really_ intense right now.” 

“I dunno,” Eddie muttered self-consciously. Were they being over the top?

* * *

“I’m a whale!” Eddie moaned hours later as he flopped back against the couch after returning from the bathroom. 

“You’re not a whale,” Stan laughed.

“I am!” Eddie continued, rubbing his swollen stomach with both hands as the sound of the apartment door opening interrupted their conversation. 

“Richie,” Stan called, watching as Richie removed his coat and boots at the front door. “Come tell your stupid boyfriend he’s not a whale,” Stan laughed before sipping at the mug of hot chocolate Eddie had prepared for him earlier.

“Eds, baby,” Richie laughed, crossing the threshold into the living room and making his way towards Eddie. “You’re not…” Richie trailed off as Eddie glared darkly at him. “You’re a whale,” Richie agreed as he shimmied under Eddie’s legs before settling into their couch, not wanting to upset Eddie by disagreeing. 

“Fuck you too, Richie,” Eddie pouted, digging his heel into Richie’s thigh.

“Prettiest whale I ever did see,” Richie added, wincing at Eddie’s sudden irritation and the stabbing pain in his leg. 

“Mhmm, I’m sure,” Eddie rolled his eyes, allowing Richie to lean over and peck a kiss to his lips. “Get your parent’s downtown alright?” Eddie asked, reaching up to stroke Richie’s hair as the man snaked a chilly hand under Eddie’s t-shirt and began rubbing his stomach in wide circles.

“Yeah,” Richie responded tiredly. “Traffic was a motherfuckin’ bitch and it’s fucking freezing out but they seemed happy… Well, mom seemed happy,” Richie laughed. 

“Hey, Rich,” Stan started, causing Richie to startle as if he had forgotten that his best friend was present. “Maybe you can convince him. We all wanna go to Whiskey’s tonight,” Stan explained, referring to the group’s favourite bar in Lower Manhattan. “But Eddie refuses.”

“Staniel,” Richie snorted. “You do realise he’s fuckin’ five months pregnant, right?”

“So?” Stan shrugged. “He doesn’t have to drink or anything. We just all want to spend the night with you guys!”

Richie rolled his head on his neck, looking over at Eddie questioningly. 

“It _is_ tradition, Eds,” Richie pointed out to his boyfriend.

“But what about Dick Clark and Baby Spice?” Eddie pouted, referring to the Spice Girls’ performance on New Years’ Rockin’ Eve. 

“Don’t worry,” Richie answered with a grin. “I’ll give you some spice, baby,” he joked making Stan scoff from the other side of the room. 

“That was fucking awful,” Stan snorted.

“But what about Dick?” Eddie teased, tugging on one of Richie’s curls with a faux-innocent smile.

Richie grinned over at Eddie, pushing out from under his boyfriend only to climb on top of him and begin nipping teasingly at his neck.

“So,” Stan spoke as Eddie’s laughter filled the room. “Are you two coming or what?”

“Oh,” Richie called over his shoulder to his friend. “We always come, don’t we Eds?” Richie added smirking down at Eddie with his tongue in his cheek as Eddie giggled at Richie’s words.

* * *

 

“Rich!” 

“Yeah, babe?” Richie called from their ensuite bathroom where he was busy putting in contacts. 

“I’m not going!” Eddie huffed, tossing the shirt he had been holding up to his chest onto their bed in frustration.

“Why not?” Richie asked, trudging into the room and blinking rapidly as his left eye adjusted to the contact lens he had just put in. 

“I have nothing to wear!” Eddie cried as if it was the most obvious thing. “Nothing fucking fits!” 

Richie bit back a smile, approaching the frustrated man cautiously before wrapping his arms around him in a hug. Eddie outright refused to purchase new clothing to fit his growing stomach but complained every day about his lack of clothing options.

“What about your black jeans?” Richie asked, leaning over to pull the dark denim that they’d had fitted with elasticated fabric at the front by a tailor from their shared closet. “And… your black shirt?” Richie added, grabbing one of Eddie’s favourite fitted shirts.

“That’ll be too tight, Rich,” Eddie complained, shaking his head.

“No so such thing,” Richie scoffed with a mischievous grin before planting a wet raspberry on Eddie’s neck making him giggle despite himself.

* * *

“Eddie!” Beverly bellowed, barrelling towards the two who had just entered the crowded, dimly lit bar. 

“Hi, Bev,” Eddie laughed, throwing his arms around the squealing woman whose hands immediately latched onto Eddie’s round stomach.

“Hi, Bev. Nice to see you, Bev. How was Maine with Ben? Oh, me? Yeah, my Christmas was great too-”

“Oh,” Beverly huffed, turning from where she was fawning over how much Eddie had begun to show over the past month since she’d seen him. “Would you shut it, Tozier? It’s not always about you.” 

“Eeeeds,” Richie pouted, turning to his boyfriend like an upset toddler. “Bevy’s mean,” he whined jokingly.

“Something tells me you’ll survive, Rich,” Eddie laughed, pinching his boyfriend’s hip affectionately before turning to greet the rest of the group who had come to join them. 

“Oh, Eddie…” came Ben’s fawning sigh. 

“Alright, alright,” Richie called as all five of the Losers flapped around Eddie excitedly. “I need to get this little boy off his feet,” Richie explained with a soft thump of his chin against the top of Eddie’s head.

“No, I’m alright,” Eddie protested, turning to look up at his boyfriend who gave him a knowing look. They had taken the subway to the bar, then had to walk the two blocks from Penn Station to Whiskey’s and at some point, in the fifteen minutes that they had been at the bar Eddie had begun leaning heavily against Richie. “Fine,” Eddie sighed before the group began their search for a vacant booth. 

“Eds,” Richie called softly, tugging Eddie towards the bar. “Come sit while we wait,” he explained, pointing towards an empty stool at the edge of the bar.

Richie led the way to the bar, Eddie shuffling self-consciously behind him as some of the bar’s patron’s eyed Eddie with raised brows.

“There, we go,” Richie announced, grabbing Eddie by the hips and helping him settle on top of the stool. “Now, what can I get you my love?” Richie asked, pecking at the tip of Eddie’s nose sweetly. 

“I’d _kill_ for a G and T,” Eddie groaned, knocking his forehead against Richie’s.

“Gross,” Richie muttered with a scrunched nose. He’d never been particularly fond of Eddie’s drink of choice. “How ‘bout just a ‘T’?” Richie joked.

“Nah,” Eddie sighed with a shake of his head. “Rich?” Eddie asked in a small voice, taking Richie’s cheeks in his palms. 

“What, bug?”

“Can you get me a coke?” Eddie asked before pressing a hopeful kiss to Richie’s bottom lip.

“A coke?”

“Please?” Eddie pouted, blinking innocently at his boyfriend. Eddie was a huge soda drinker and Richie had been encouraging Eddie to stay away from the sugary drinks during the pregnancy (‘Do you want him to come out with three eyes, Eds?’).

 “Fine,” Richie groaned, never one to be able to deny Eddie anything. 

“I love you,” Eddie grinned triumphantly. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Richie laughed, shaking his head as he walked to the other end of the bar where the bartenders were taking drink orders.

* * *

“Come _on,_ ” Beverly moaned, tugging on Eddie’s arm. “Just one song?”

“I agreed to come out,” Eddie shook his head. “I never agreed to _dancing_.”

“Please?”

“Besides,” Eddie continued. “Richie wants me to stay off my feet, right Rich?” Eddie asked, blinking up at Richie innocently. 

“Asshole,” Richie muttered, frowning down at his boyfriend who was now using him as an excuse to get out of dancing.

“Just one, come on Richie,” Beverly begged. “The both of you! Just come out for one song?” 

Richie huffed, looking down to Eddie with a mischievous smile as Eddie mouthed ‘no’ at him repeatedly.

“I guess one dance couldn’t hurt,” Richie grinned as Eddie glared at him harshly.

“Yes!” Beverly screeched, rushing back to the dance floor as Richie helped Eddie wiggle out of the booth they had claimed.

“What the fuck, Richie?” Eddie groaned once Beverly was out of earshot.

“Cheer up, lovebug,” Richie teased, smiling at his frowning boyfriend. “It’s supposed to be a celebration!”

“I hate dancing, Richie!” 

“Yeah, but I love it,” Richie laughed as Eddie continued to scowl. “Come on, gremlin” Richie cooed, dragging Eddie by one of his arms towards the dancefloor.

The two stopped at the edge of the dancefloor where the other Losers were dancing to Cher’s _Believe._ Eddie hugged his middle, peeking around at the other dancers self-consciously.

“Come on,” Richie laughed, grabbing Eddie’s hips and forcing them to sway back and forth awkwardly.

“Richie!” Eddie whimpered, covering his face in embarrassment.  

“Hey,” Richie released his hips, grabbing each of Eddie’s hands before bringing them up and throwing them around to the beat. “Keep moving those hips,” Richie laughed.

“I hate you,” Eddie scowled, swaying back and forth tentatively. “You’re the worst!”

“I’m sweet,” Richie cooed, pulling Eddie into him and wrapping his arms around Eddie’s back as he moved their bodies back and forth in time to the music.

“I disagree,” Eddie huffed, wrapping his arms around Richie’s neck and letting his hips move in time with Richie’s, their foreheads pressed together.

* * *

 

Five songs later Eddie was still out on the dancefloor, twirling around with Beverly and Mike as Bill, Richie, Stan and Ben did a round of tequila shots at the bar. Eddie had quickly realised that other than himself, almost everyone on the dancefloor was stupidly drunk and no one was watching him or judging his dancing.

“Careful!” Eddie heard someone shout from his left as the sound of a glass shattering rang out. 

“Shit!” Eddie shrieked as he felt one of his feet slide out from under him, throwing his body forward into a table on the edge of the dancefloor.

“Eddie!” Beverly cried, slipping on the broken glass and alcohol under their feet as she and Mike reached out for the man. 

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Eddie rushed, pushing himself up off of the table that was now covered in spilt beer. “I’m so sorry,” Eddie blushed, apologizing to the men sitting around the table. 

“Are you alright?” Mike asked as Eddie turned from the table, hands covering his pink cheeks. 

“I’m, yeah, I’m fine,” Eddie nodded, releasing his cheeks and resting his hands protectively on his stomach. “I’m okay,” he added although he looked shaken.

“Let’s go sit for a bit,” Mike suggested and Beverly agreed readily.

“I’m really okay, guys,” Eddie insisted as Mike ushered Eddie towards the booth. “Where’d Bev- no,” Eddie sighed as he spotted the red head speaking hurriedly to their friends at the bar.

“Eddie!” Richie cried, rushing towards the booth, the rest of the Losers trailing behind him as Richie pushed his way through the crowd. “Baby-” 

“Otter, I’m okay,” Eddie sighed as Richie knelt on the bench next to Eddie taking Eddie’s face in his hands. “I’m fine,” Eddie insisted as Richie’s eyes searched his face. 

“Wha’ happened?” Richie slurred ever so slightly.

“Just a little slip, I’m fine,” Eddie explained. “I promise.”

“We should go,” Richie decided, looking over Eddie’s shoulder for their jackets that were in the pile on the other side of the booth. 

“No, Rich,” Eddie sighed. “I wanna stay, I’m okay, I wanna stay,” Eddie pleaded. “Ten more minutes, just ‘til midnight?” 

“Okay,” Richie sighed, dropping his forehead to Eddie’s. 

“I’m okay,” Eddie repeated, tangling his fingers in the curls at the nape of Richie’s neck.

“You’re okay,” Richie echoed.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Eddie agreed.

* * *

“Three…Two…One… Happy New Year!”

“Me first, me first!” Beverly screeched, launching herself at Ben before quickly moving to Bill. It was Losers’ Club tradition that Beverly got everyone’s first New Year kiss.

Eddie looked up at Richie in amusement as Beverly moved on to Stan, Eddie’s amusement mirrored in Richie’s own eyes as Richie leaned down to peck Eddie’s lips softly. It was also tradition for Richie to steal Beverly’s kiss from Eddie and not tell her about it. 

Eddie smiled up at his boyfriend, leaning in to hide his face in Richie’s neck contentedly before Beverly grabbed his cheeks and planted one on him.

“And finally,” Beverly announced, pulling away from Richie and dropping to her knees beside Eddie. 

“Woah, Bev,” Richie cried. “Take a guy to dinner first!”

“Beep, beep,” Beverly spat at her friend before pressing a kiss to Eddie’s belly button. “I was adding your unborn child to the tradition, asshole,” she explained as she got to her feet.

* * *

“Rich, Rich,” Eddie laughed, trying to stop Richie’s attack on his neck. “Richie! Your parents are here!” 

“S’ middle of the night,” Richie mumbled against Eddie’s neck distractedly. “S’ fine.”

“Rich…”

“We’ll be quiet,” Richie hummed against Eddie’s skin as he trailed his lips down Eddie’s body, cold fingers cupping Eddie’s balls lightly.

“Ah,” Eddie hissed, feeling the heavy weight of his erection on his thigh. “Cold,” he commented as Richie rolled them in his palm. 

“Sorry, baby,” Richie murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Eddie’s pubic hair before taking the base of Eddie’s erection in his hand.

“Rich,” Eddie gasped as Richie engulfed him in his warm mouth. “Rich,” Eddie moaned, fingers twisting in Richie’s hair as his legs fell open.

“Mm, roll over,” Richie instructed as the head of Eddie’s cock popped audibly from his lips. Neither of them were particularly fond of fucking facing away from one another but Eddie found it more comfortable at that point and Richie was too afraid to crush the baby if he tried to fold Eddie in half like he usually did.

Eddie rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself up onto his knees so he wasn’t leaning too much of his weight on his bump. Eddie dropped his face into Richie’s pillow as he felt Richie spread him open with his thumbs and blow warm air against his hole.

“Hng, Rich,” Eddie moaned brokenly as Richie lapped at the wrinkled skin. “Rich,” he repeated, pushing his hips back against Richie’s face making Richie laugh.

* * *

“That was great,” Eddie slurred happily, lifting their entwined hands to press a kiss to Richie’s wrist as Richie carefully turned them onto their sides. Usually he would just collapse on top of Eddie after he finished since Eddie loving the feeling of Richie smothering him with his weight, but Richie carefully avoided such actions.

“Mhmm,” Richie agreed, knees curving behind Eddie’s as he pressed kisses along Eddie’s shoulder and up his neck. “Ah-mazing,” Richie whispered into his ear as he felt himself softening in Eddie’s ass, beginning to slip out of Eddie along with his slippery cum. 

“You know,” Eddie sighed, enjoying the feeling of Richie’s wet warmth inside him. “We’re gonna have to start using condoms once the baby’s born.” 

“What?” Richie mumbled, brains jumbled from the alcohol he had consumed and how thoroughly he had just fucked his partner. 

“Condoms,” Eddie repeated, rolling to face Richie. “Now that we know I’m a carrier we’ll have to be more careful…”

“But I don’t want to wear a condom,” Richie whined.

“Do you want twelve kids running around our two bedroom Brooklyn apartment, Rich?” Eddie joked.

“Well…”

“Richie!” Eddie laughed, smacking Richie’s slightly sweaty chest. “We’re not having twelve kids.” 

“Can we talk about condoms and having hundreds of kids in the morning?” Richie yawned, eyelids drooping as he spoke.

“Goodnight, Rich,” Eddie chuckled, pressing a kiss to Richie’s lips before the other man promptly fell unconscious.

* * *

 

“Wuzat?” Richie mumbled, eyes fluttering open to the sound of what he was sure was a wounded animal in the bedroom. “Eds?” he slurred, throwing out an arm to reach for Eddie.

The sniffling and whimpering continued as he patted at Eddie’s back confusedly.

“Eds?” he repeated, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the dark room. “Hey, hey, hey,” he called when he realized the cries were coming from Eddie.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Richie asked, shuffling towards Eddie who lay curled in a ball, facing away from him. “Bug, what’s wrong?” he asked again as Eddie’s back continued to shake.

“Eddie,” Richie tried, pulling Eddie’s shoulder back so the other man’s body was twisted to face him. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, taking in Eddie’s red and tear stained face in the dim room. 

“Chee,” he sobbed before launching himself at Richie, arms wrapped around his boyfriend’s neck and legs curling around his waist.

“Wow, lovebug,” Richie breathed, thoroughly confused. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I, I’m s-sorry, Ruh-Rich,” Eddie stuttered, face pressed to Richie’s neck.

“For what?” Richie asked. “Eddie what’s going on?” 

“It, it huh-hurts,” Eddie sobbed. “It h-hurts, Chee!”

“What hurts?” Richie asked frantically, pushing himself up to lean against the headboard and flicking on the lamp on his bedside table. “Fuck, Eddie,” Richie hissed when he noticed the round spot of dark red blood on Eddie’s side of the bed. 

“Ruh-ruh-” Eddie sobbed, shoulders shaking violently. 

“Are you bleeding?” Richie asked frantically. “Baby, are you bleeding?” he repeated, reaching around to press a hand to Eddie’s ass. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Richie breathed when he felt the warm trickle of blood touch his fingers. “Shit,” he swore as he pulled back and examined his hand. 

“I l-lo-lost hi-him, Ch-Chee,” Eddie wailed, clutching Richie desperately. “I luh-lost him!” 

“Shh, shh,” Richie hummed, trying to calm Eddie down while his thoughts sped through his brain at a mile a minute. “Baby, hey, look at me,” Richie grabbed the back of Eddie’s head with his clean hand. Eddie looked up at him, face red and puffy as tears and snot ran down his chin. “I’m gonna get my mom, I’ll be right back ok-”

“No, no, no,” Eddie wailed at the top of his lungs. “Don’t luh-leave muh-me. I-I’m suh-sorry, I di-didn’t muh-mean to, Ruh-Rich. I didn’t muh-mean too!”

Richie blinked down at the top of Eddie’s head in shock. 

“I know, I know,” he murmured against Eddie’s forehead, feeling entirely helpless. “I’m not leaving, it’s okay. It’s okay.” 

“I’m suh-sorry,” Eddie continued to hiccough, twisting the knife currently in Richie’s heart even deeper.

“MOM!” Richie screamed desperately. “MOM! MOM!” 

Eddie cried harder as Richie continued to yell. 

“Jesus Christ, Richie!” Maggie cried as she flew into the room. “What the hell is going on?” she asked her son, Wentworth just behind her.

“Mom, he, he’s bl-bleeding,” Richie stuttered, tears starting to pour over onto his cheeks. “What do I do? He’s bleeding, Mom!” 

 Maggie approached the bed cautiously as Wentworth averted his eyes uncomfortably. Both boys were still stark naked and Richie had kicked off their duvet during his frantic screaming.

“Eddie, sweetheart,” Maggie called softly, pulling the duvet up over Eddie’s lower back to cover both of the men. “Honey?” she tried to coax him out of his spot in the crook of Richie’s neck.

“Bug,” Richie whispered, gripping Eddie’s skin tightly. “Come on, mom is gonna help.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” Maggie smiled sadly when one of Eddie’s eyes peeked out enough to see her. “Can you tell me what hurts?” 

“I lost him,” Eddie croaked guiltily. 

“Hey, hey, no,” Maggie hushed him. “We _don’t_ know that. Can you just tell me what hurts? How long have you been bleeding?” 

“I don’t know,” Eddie mumbled against Richie’s chest. “My st-stomach hurts. Where Buh-Boop is. He’s guh-gone. I cuh-can’t feel him.” 

“Were you bleeding when you went to sleep?” Maggie asked, swallowing the lump in her throat that had formed with Eddie’s words.

“No,” Eddie whispered. 

“Fuck,” Richie swore, bringing one of his hands up to rub over his mouth. 

“What?” Maggie asked her son in confusion. 

“This is, this is my fault,” Richie whispered, head falling back on their headboard as he blinked back tears. 

“Honey, what-” 

“I fucked him,” Richie whispered, staring at the ceiling as tears slipped from the corners of his eyes. “I hurt him.” 

“Rich, no,” Eddie protested with a shake of his head. “You didn’t hurt us, you didn’t,” Eddie insisted but Richie continued to stare at the ceiling hopelessly. 

“Okay, I’m gonna call your OB and we’re gonna get you checked out,” Maggie decided, pushing up from the side of the bed. 

“Number's on the fridge,” Richie muttered hollowly.

“Okay, you boys get dressed,” Maggie told them before leading a frozen Wentworth out of the room. 

“Chee?” Eddie whispered.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to go,” Eddie whimpered. “I’m scared, I don’t want them to look at me,” Eddie admitted. 

Richie swallowed the growing lump in his throat but didn’t respond to Eddie’s admission. He felt empty.

They’d lost their baby.


	7. Chapter 7

Eddie’s nails clawed at the back of Richie’s neck, fingers scrabbling for purchase as Richie stared blankly at the ceiling. He could feel his extremities tingling with numbness.

“Chee,” Eddie coughed, face once again pressed to Richie’s neck. “Ch-ee,” his breath hitching with his sobs. 

 “Okay, your-” Maggie stopped in the doorway, one hand still on the handle. “I thought I told you two to get ready to go?”

Neither man had moved since Richie’s parents had left their room ten minutes prior. Richie looked over at his mother blankly. 

“Guys, come on,” Maggie sighed. “We’ve got to get to the hospital. We’re meeting your doctor there.” 

“I don’t wanna go,” Eddie whispered, voice barely audible to Maggie.

“Sweetheart,” Maggie breathed, approaching the bed cautiously. “They need to figure out what’s going on.”

“I don’t want them to look,” Eddie mumbled, cowering against Richie. His stomach was swirling with a horrible mix of guilt, fear, and heartbreak. It was all he could do to keep the generous helping of nachos he had consumed earlier at Whiskey’s down.  

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Maggie cooed, placing a hand on his spine and stroking it softly. “But we have to,” Maggie explained gently.

“C’mon, Eds,” Richie croaked suddenly before taking a deep breath. “Let’s get dressed,” he encouraged making Eddie whimper pathetically, trying to burrow into the skin of Richie’s chest. 

“Here,” Maggie said as she stood from the bed, placing a light pink plastic square beside them. “Dr. Green asked you to wear this, Eddie. So that she can get a better idea of how much you’re actually…bleeding,” Maggie whispered the last word softly. 

Eddie cheeks flamed as his eyes flickered between Maggie and the folded sanitary pad atop their duvet. Eddie nodded jerkily, head bowed to avoid her eyes.

“Thanks, mom,” Richie whispered, grabbing the plastic square with his own pink cheeks and burying his other hand in the back of Eddie’s hair.

“Let me know if you need any help with it,” Maggie added before leaving the room. 

“C’mon,” Richie mumbled, starting to gently move Eddie from his lap.

“No,” Eddie whimpered, tightening his grip on Richie. 

“Eds,” Richie sighed, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I don’t w-want t-too,” Eddie wept, thighs clenching Richie’s waist. “I d-don’t want t-too.”

“C’mon, bug,” Richie gulped, pushing himself to ignore Eddie’s heartbreaking protests and lift them from the bed.

“Chee-ee,” Eddie sobbed as Richie carried the man to their en suite. 

“I know, baby, I know,” Richie whispered, blinking back his own tears as he started the shower before reaching a hand out to test the temperature. “Here, we go,” he murmured before stepping over the tip of their tub and dipping them beneath the hot spray of water. 

“Rich?” Eddie croaked, face tucked into Richie’s shoulder as Richie watched the pink water tinged with Eddie’s blood swirl in the bottom of their tub.

“Yeah?” Richie swallowed, reaching for Eddie’s shampoo to busy himself with his hands. Eddie’s hair was the last thing that needed cleaning but Richie was in dire need of the distraction and comfort washing Eddie’s hair brought him.

“I lo-ost him,” Eddie whispered, voice cracking painfully. “I lost our baby.”

“Shh,” Richie hushed him, blunt nails scratching the back of Eddie’s head. 

“Rich?” 

“Yeah, baby?” Richie sighed, not wanting to hear any more of Eddie’s heartbroken words. 

“Don’t… don’t be mad,” Eddie whispered.

“I’m not mad at you, lovebug,” Richie promised. “This isn’t your fault-” 

“No,” Eddie interrupted, tilting his head back to look up at Richie with wide eyes. “Don’t be mad at me because… because I don’t th-think I can,” Eddie hiccupped out a sob. “I don’t want to live without him,” Eddie cried.

“Eds,” Richie sighed, hugging Eddie tightly to him. 

“I can’t d-d-do it, Otter,” Eddie sobbed, clutching Richie desperately. “I can’t,” he repeated as Richie’s own tears began to fall.

* * *

 

Richie set Eddie on the side of their bed before moving towards their dresser, pulling out boxers and sweatpants for the both of them as he tried to ignore Eddie’s cries for him to come back. He grabbed two t-shirts and his old NYU hoodie, Eddie’s favourite, before carrying everything to the bed.

“C’mon, bug,” Richie encouraged, pushing Eddie up into a sitting position. “Good, boy,” he encouraged, pulling the shirt and hoodie over Eddie’s head and arms. “Come on now,” he murmured, twisting Eddie so his legs were hanging off the side of their bed before pushing each of Eddie’s ankles into the holes of the underwear he had grabbed for his boyfriend. 

“Alright,” Richie muttered, grabbing the pad his mom had left and peeling back the plastic. “I guess we just… there?” Richie whispered entirely unsure if he had properly used the pad. “Okay, now, it’s time to stand up…” Richie told his boyfriend before pulling Eddie slowly to his feet. “I know, I know it hurts, baby,” Richie cooed as Eddie whimpered in pain, wincing and leaning heavily against Richie.

“Alright, there we go,” he finished as he helped Eddie pull his boxers over his hips before pulling on his soft jersey cotton sweatpants. 

Richie carefully returned Eddie to sit on the side of their bed before quickly pulling on his own clothing.

“’M’kay, y’ready?” he asked as he helped Eddie stand.

“Chee,” Eddie moaned as he took painstakingly slow steps towards their bedroom door. “Ow, ow, ow, Chee,” he cried as Richie walked behind him with his hands on Eddie’s hips to help support him.

“So, good, baby,” Richie encouraged. “You’re doing so good, love bug. Keep going.”

“I can’t, Chee,” Eddie sobbed, shaking his head. “It hurts, I can’t.”

“Yes, you can,” Richie insisted, edging his boyfriend forward. “Come on, you can do it.”

“Richie, no I fucking can’t!” Eddie roared through his sobs, surprising his boyfriend.

“Okay, baby, I’m sorry,” Richie sighed, bending his knees and curling his arms around Eddie’s thighs and shoulders. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, struggling under Eddie’s weight as he carried him bridal style across the apartment while Eddie tucked his face against Richie’s shoulder as he continued to weep.

* * *

 

“Olive juice,” Richie murmured against Eddie’s forehead, fingers stroking Eddie’s hair back as they waited for Dr. Green to arrive at NewYork Presbyterian Hospital.

“Chee,” Eddie whispered, eyes wide and scared as he lay curled on his side, wrapped in a noisy paper hospital gown. 

“I know, love, I know,” Richie hushed him, fiddling with the patient wristband on Eddie’s wrist.

The men looked up at the sound of the examination room door creaking open.

“Eddie, Richie,” Dr. Green smiled sadly, nodding to each man in greeting. “I apologize for the wait, the traffic getting over the bridge was a nightmare,” she sighed.

“S’alright,” Eddie grunted, pushing himself to sit up on the bed while Richie rubbed circles into the small of his back.

“Alright, so,” she started with a deep breath, looking between the men. “Your mother gave me the Cliff Notes version of the story but I’m going to need some more details,” she told them as she flipped through the chart that the nurse who had done Eddie’s vitals had left. 

“Um, well, I woke up about at about four,” Richie explained, lacing his fingers through Eddie’s. “To Eddie bleeding and crying. How long were you awake baby?” 

“Um,” Eddie blushed. “Not long. Maybe a few minutes?”

“Alright,” Dr. Green nodded. “And is this first sign of bleeding you’ve had?” 

“Yes,” Eddie nodded. 

“Okay,” Dr. Green nodded, marking details down in the medical chart. “And were you experiencing any pain or anything out of the ordinary yesterday?”

“Um, well,” Eddie looked down at his lap. “There was a little… _spill_ at the New Year’s party we were at.”

“What kind of spill?” the doctor asked, looking up from the chart curiously. 

“I slipped on a spilt drink,” Eddie shrugged. “And fell forward into a table.”

“Okay,” the doctor nodded with a sigh. “Anything else?”

“Well,” Richie cleared his throat. “We did, um, we were intimate for the first time in a few weeks at about one,” Richie explained as Eddie’s cheeks flamed.

“Richie, that’s not-” 

“Do you typically experience rectal bleeding following intercourse, Eddie?” Dr. Green asked bluntly.

“What, I-” Eddie squeaked, voice strangled in his throat. “No, I, no I don’t,” Eddie shook his head.

“It’s still something to keep in mind,” the woman answered. “Anal fissures aren’t uncommon so we’re going to explore the possibility of rectal tissue damage.”

“Okay,” Eddie squeaked.

“Now,” Dr. Green continued, flipping the page of Eddie’s medical chart slowly. “Your blood pressure is quite low, so I want to keep an eye on that and I know the nurse had you down in the lab to collect a blood sample, correct?”

Richie nodded. 

“Okay, so I’m first just going to examine you to see if we are dealing with any tissue damage or tears, alright?” Dr. Green explained, grabbing a pair of rubber gloves from the box on the counter. 

“Rich,” Eddie gasped, turning to his boyfriend with wide and panicked eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Richie cooed, taking Eddie’s cheeks in his hands. Although Eddie had gotten an internal ultrasound early on in the pregnancy he still felt uncomfortable with such invasive medical examinations. “You’re okay,” Richie promised him, leaning his forehead against his boyfriend’s.

“Eddie,” Dr. Green called softly as she sat on the stool next to Eddie’s bed. “Can I get you to lay on your side facing Richie?” 

Eddie looked up at Richie nervously, only to find a hesitant smile and tired eyes staring back at him. Eddie sighed before lying flat on the bed and rolling onto his side. 

“Perfect,” Dr. Green encouraged. “Now, I’m just going to open the back of your gown, there we go,” she explained as she moved. “Now, can I get you to pull your knees up towards your chest?” 

Eddie pulled his knees up while Richie took his face in his hands and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

“Great, now this might be uncomfortable and you'll feel some pressure, but tell me if you experience any pain, alright?”

Eddie nodded and clenched his jaw as he felt the woman spread his cheeks and poke at his hole with rubber finger tips.

“Doing so good,” Richie murmured, leaning to press his forehead to Eddie’s. 

* * *

 

“Alright, all done,” Dr. Green announced a minute later, leaning away from Eddie. “So,” the woman started as she disposed of her gloves and moved to look at the bloody sanitary napkin that rested in a plastic biohazard bag on the counter. “You do appear to be bleeding quite heavily, but the blood is quite dark and there aren’t any obvious signs of damage so it doesn’t appear to be a fissure or fistula.” 

“So, then,” Eddie swallowed. “Am I having a miscarriage?” he asked, voice cracking painfully. 

“Let's do an ultrasound and see if we can clock the fetal heartbeat and we’ll go from there, alright,” Dr. Green explained, not wanting to confirm or deny Eddie’s fears. “I’m going to go order the ultrasound and try and get a look at your blood work, alright?”

Both men nodded and the doctor left the room without another word. 

Eddie sighed once the door was closed, head falling back on the scratchy examination bed’s pillow.

“Rich,” he called quietly. “You should go update your parents,” Eddie encouraged. Maggie and Wentworth had been stuck in the ER waiting room for nearly an hour now.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Richie eyed him cautiously.

“I’ll be fine,” Eddie promised with a nod and a tired, fake smile.

“Okay,” Richie agreed, pushing out of his chair and pressing a kiss to Eddie’s dry lips. “I’ll be right back.”

* * *

“Richie,” Maggie gasped when she spotted her son entering the waiting room. “Richie!” she called across the room. 

“Mom,” Richie croaked once he reached his mother, collapsing against her with sobs. “Mom...”

“Shh,” Maggie cooed, rocking her son and sharing a terrified look with her husband over Richie’s shoulder. “What’s happening?”

“Don’t know yet,” Richie hiccupped, shaking in his mother’s arms. “They don’t know, mom. I’m s-so s-scared, mom!” 

“I know, sweetie, I know,” Maggie sighed, squeezing her eyes shut as she prayed that Eddie and the baby would come out of this unscathed.

* * *

 

“No, we’re not doing this without Richie!” Eddie snapped as the ultrasound technician tried once again to start the scan before Richie had returned. “Where is he? I need-” 

“Eds,” Richie called as he entered the room. “I’m here,” he told his boyfriend as he crossed the room. 

“Can we start then?” the tech asked, looking between Eddie, Richie and Dr. Green.

Eddie nodded, finally allowing the middle-aged woman to apply the cool blue gel to his swollen stomach.

Richie approached the bed, leaning against it and taking one of Eddie’s hands in his own as they both stared intently at the black and white screen in the dim room. The last time they had been here was for Eddie’s sixteen-week scan when they were supposed to find out the baby’s sex. Instead the baby had been wedged up against Eddie’s spine and had refused to move for them to properly get a look at the baby’s profile.

“Alright,” the tech murmured as she slid the metal instrument over Eddie’s stomach slowly. “Let’s see what we can get here,” she spoke to herself as the picture began to clear.

“Oh,” Dr. Green sighed. “There,” she pointed to a blinking spot on the ultrasound.

“Mhm,” the tech nodded, reaching to hit a button on the ultrasound machine before the steady chugging of the fetal heart beat filled the room. 

“Is that…”

“Baby’s heart beat,” Dr. Green nodded with a smile.

“His heart rate’s nice a healthy,” the tech added offhandedly. 

“He?” Richie squeaked. 

“Oh, did you not want to know?” the tech blushed, looking over at the two men apologetically. 

“No, no,” Richie rushed. “We just weren’t able to get him to move during the last scan so the technician wasn’t sure.”

“He’s okay, though?” Eddie breathed, tears already streaming down his cheeks.

“Well,” Dr. Green sighed, eying the ultrasound critically. “He is in a breech position right now but there’s still plenty of time for him to move. It does look to me like the placenta is covering the cervix,” she pointed out, outlining the shape of the placenta on the screen.

“That’s common in male pregnancy, right?” Eddie asked. 

“It is,” Dr. Green nodded. “Very common in fact. The male anatomy is proportioned quite differently from female anatomy so we see this a lot in male carriers. We’re still very early on in your pregnancy though, so I’m not _overly_ concerned quite yet,” the woman explained. “At this point I just want to keep an eye on the bleeding and we’ll need to do another scan at thirty weeks to see how the baby and the placenta shift.” 

“Is there anything else we should be doing?” Richie asked anxiously, his own cheeks wet with relieved tears.

“Other than keeping Eddie healthy and safe there’s nothing else for you two to do,” Dr. Green reassured them.


End file.
